so i've been back for nearly 2 weeks and am back in the swing of things i guess!
the day after i got home i emailed my old work for a reference and was lucky enough to be offered a job which i started last friday. so for 3 days i did absolutely nothing and slept about 13 hours a night with no troubles and didn't feel the slighetest bit guilty about it, and then friday started work. i'm really happy to be back with the same people i was with before i went to hawaii, a lot has changed at work but i really enjoy the people and am enjoying myself : ) there is a lot to do so i'm always busy which is good too.
other than that i'm pretty boring. i'd forgotten how exhausting working full time is - quite ironic really, i can train 6+ hours a day and manage but put me in an air conditioned office for a day and i'm exhausted. am not doing any training whatsoever other than 2ce weekly club which is good. teaching me to loosen up a bit and not take myself so seriously - at least i hope that's what it's doing! i'm so used to being so focused and trying to get as much out of every training or whatever, but for the next 2 weeks my focus is going to be having fun. i don't know if it's noticable to anyone else but it's a really funny feeling, like this inward argument - my body and mind go into the mode they usually do and then this other part of me laughs the whole time there's no way to explain it but it's a really funny experience, every training and game.
went wedding dress shopping this week with coralee and jess. everything is so exciting. coralee went to kate dowman for a consultation who was really good and professional and knew her stuff and the gowns are gorgeous and i came away feeling very educated. we got it down to 3 dresses, all pretty similar but just a little different. jess didn't want to pay for a consulation so we went spent the best part of a morning (after 3 hours sleep from a night out with mandy before she goes away) walking around and looking (but not trying on) at dresses until we came upon a shop that has a wonderful lady who let her try on anything and knew her stuff and was so incredibly helpful. at some point jess put on a veil and i freaked out and was like, i'm sorry i have to go i'm sorry and had to go have a breather lol. but we found a really nice dress and she's going back with her mum to have a look.
mandy is moving to brisbane in a week and a bit so on friday night after the game and after having a fantastic dinner with greta and catching up with alex and wade (i have missed those boys) i FINALLY got to frankie's after midnight just in time to go to town with the girls to send mandy off and have a happy birthday celebration for kelly. so that was fun, it has been so long since i've been into town there's a new bar (which aparently has been there for ages) where there used to be a clothes shop. so that was a lot of fun and finally rolled up the driveway at like 5 just in time for mum to get up and go to work at 6. the next morning she asked if i had been talking in the car all night because it was still warm when she got in, quite nice really she wan't cold the entire journey to work.
last weekend a friend mike from hawaii was visiting the country so we watched the rugby with my dad and then went into town to the minus 5 ice bar which was fun. was cool to have a visitor. jen from the uh team is here this weekend but i haven't heard from her and wouldn't know how to contact her so that's sad to miss her!
since starting work i have been enjoying my walk from the bus stop to the office down the main street with all the hustle and bustle of the early morning city. i find myself wanting to browse shops and being disappointed this isn't america and they're not open until a reasonable hour. and then i have to remind myself that even in america shops don't open at this hour, it's just because the only place i can ever afford to go to is wal-mart which is open 24 hrs lol. so then i am content to be home around clothes shops in the city in good old nz and am happy to just look at the window displays.
and thats all really. very boring but good. really good. there is always something cool about any scene if you look for it. the other day walking to work i looked up and there amongst all the high rises i could see on the roof of one of the buildings leaves from a garden that must be up there and i was like, that is cool.
anyway enough for now xxox
Saturday, June 16, 2007
Wednesday, June 06, 2007
Tianjin, China
my journal on the 28th of may (caution, the following might be considered a little crude to some people so i apologise for any offense caused. if you dont want to hear about toilets in china, skip the next paragraph):
we arrived in China today and made it to Tianjin so easily! last time we had to go 4 hours and the bus broke down and ra r
a ra. this time it was only 2 and it was such a fun drive. we stopped to go to the toilet at this pit stop type thing and there was a bathroom with only squatters but it was so nice and clean! didn't even smell. I was worried because I remember the bathrooms at Guilin airport last year being so horrible,but this one was really nice. Anyway so there we all were squealing away because we had to squat and "wiggle" because there was no toilet paper. and the cleaning ladies were laughing so hard at us because we didn't really know what we were doing and were all shouting advice at each other at how to avoid peeing on ourselves all at the same time - there were lik 20 cubicles so no one had to wait. poor (name deleted) had to wash her feet afterwards, i guess she had a little trouble. but it was awesome. definitely feel like the team bonded a lot as a result. probably my best toilet experience ever!
a ra. this time it was only 2 and it was such a fun drive. we stopped to go to the toilet at this pit stop type thing and there was a bathroom with only squatters but it was so nice and clean! didn't even smell. I was worried because I remember the bathrooms at Guilin airport last year being so horrible,but this one was really nice. Anyway so there we all were squealing away because we had to squat and "wiggle" because there was no toilet paper. and the cleaning ladies were laughing so hard at us because we didn't really know what we were doing and were all shouting advice at each other at how to avoid peeing on ourselves all at the same time - there were lik 20 cubicles so no one had to wait. poor (name deleted) had to wash her feet afterwards, i guess she had a little trouble. but it was awesome. definitely feel like the team bonded a lot as a result. probably my best toilet experience ever!so that was the beginning of our trip. it was a lot more fun and foreinger friendly than last year anyway : ) the bathrooms didn't flood at there was bread at almost every meal, so we did alright with that. they had some awesome markets in Tianjin so everyone shopped up a storm, almost everyone in the team (except me) bought a fake prada/chloe/puma/gucci/luis vuitton bag for like $10 NZD or something, it was pretty sweet deals. i bought some cool stuff, but didn't find the right bag. being not the biggest bag person, i'm very fussy even when stuff is cheap.
the water polo wasnt very good at all, we lost all our games which was really disappointing but we didn't have any time together before hand so it wasn't that surprising anyway. we just didn't mesh well as a team. since we got back, our coach has resigned and i'm starting to wonder if it's my turn too. but then who knows. maybe i could just keep playing without international water polo? yea right. anyway i'm glad i don't have to make any decisions right now.
anyways, so now i'm home until august and have found myself a job at an office i used to work at before i left. so at least i know the people and even though the work is totally menial i'm looking forward to catching up with people and earning some money to keep me out of trouble! no more water polo except club so that will be interesting, playing for fun with absolutely zero pressure or expectations...we'll see how that goes anyway!
since being home i've had about 12 hours sleep each night which is totally amazing, haven't even stirred during the night. i love my bed! but tomorrow i start work so that is the end of that. it has actually been really nice to just sit on the couch all day and not do anything and be even too lazy to think about feeling bad for not doing anything.
good to be home, it's not too cold at all, quite nice actually probably like 15ish which is pretty nice for winter here, all the seasons have been coming late though so by the time i leave it will no doubt be very good timing. it's kinda sad to leave the summer in the air feeling though. was talking to my friend in Long Beach today and i got really jealous because she's just chilling at her house in the summer, playing water polo and enjoying evenings on her verandah with friends and riding her bike around everywhere, and i was like, wow. fun.
Monday, May 21, 2007
home and away
so i'm finally home, but not really. leaving for china on sunday for a week. then i'll be home.
it's funny being home after so long away and actually having time to breathe, i'm usually running around trying to catch up with people or training or doing something. this week i only have the mandatory training and am only catching up with family and yesterday i got the chance to go for a walk and catch the train - something i haven't done for probably like 4 years or something. so that was fun, the local train station has moved and where it used to be there is a community police/probation office type thing, and where i used to skip through to get to the train station and all the druggies used to hang out is a lovely road with brick foot path and everything. the worn down old buildings are still there, but i dont really think they're that bad. which is funny because if they were anywhere else other than somewhere i walked passed almost every day for like 5 years i would think they were horrible and should be torn down. the new train station is very sparkly and clean and next to the local mall - southmall - which has changed so much since i used to loiter there waiting for mum to finish the groceries, i haven't ventured inside yet. the new world and woolworths are still there but i think that's pretty much it.
i wonder if i'm thinkin this way because i have been reading alex's blogs or because i'm feeling old enough to have seen a bit of change in my neighbourhood... i can't even imagine what manurewa will be like when i'm 40...we'll soon find out anyway!
other than that i'm kind of in mourning still, last of all good-byes for the time being was Meike, i made her a book to remember us, i never thought i'd get through it because it's a pretty big book. but i did! and she wrote me a 4 page, typed out poem and gave me a friendship bracelet with my "colours" on it : )
it was very teary, not much was said because i was for once at a total loss for words. and then she was gone... lucky i have been concentrating on living day to day and not getting too far ahead of myself or i would be in total dispair about next year living without her, rather than just getting teary every now and then when i think of her and all my other friends who i will never get to do life with in person for very long periods of time again.
so thats me for today.
A
it's funny being home after so long away and actually having time to breathe, i'm usually running around trying to catch up with people or training or doing something. this week i only have the mandatory training and am only catching up with family and yesterday i got the chance to go for a walk and catch the train - something i haven't done for probably like 4 years or something. so that was fun, the local train station has moved and where it used to be there is a community police/probation office type thing, and where i used to skip through to get to the train station and all the druggies used to hang out is a lovely road with brick foot path and everything. the worn down old buildings are still there, but i dont really think they're that bad. which is funny because if they were anywhere else other than somewhere i walked passed almost every day for like 5 years i would think they were horrible and should be torn down. the new train station is very sparkly and clean and next to the local mall - southmall - which has changed so much since i used to loiter there waiting for mum to finish the groceries, i haven't ventured inside yet. the new world and woolworths are still there but i think that's pretty much it.
i wonder if i'm thinkin this way because i have been reading alex's blogs or because i'm feeling old enough to have seen a bit of change in my neighbourhood... i can't even imagine what manurewa will be like when i'm 40...we'll soon find out anyway!
other than that i'm kind of in mourning still, last of all good-byes for the time being was Meike, i made her a book to remember us, i never thought i'd get through it because it's a pretty big book. but i did! and she wrote me a 4 page, typed out poem and gave me a friendship bracelet with my "colours" on it : )
it was very teary, not much was said because i was for once at a total loss for words. and then she was gone... lucky i have been concentrating on living day to day and not getting too far ahead of myself or i would be in total dispair about next year living without her, rather than just getting teary every now and then when i think of her and all my other friends who i will never get to do life with in person for very long periods of time again.
so thats me for today.
A
Tuesday, May 15, 2007
small change
it was graduation the other day, it was pretty cool. ok so it was a long and boring ceremony but it was also graduation day of about 15 people I know so I kept myself occupied looking out for everyone.
i kinda feel like i'm a little bit in mourning at the mo, it's guna be so strange being here without these peeps who have been my support network since i got here. who have seen me grow up a little bit and been with me the whole time and who know things about me better than i know myself i think. it's hard being the one who is being left behind... usually i'm the one who leaves! feeling a little left behind, they're all going out to their amazing lives and i know they're each guna change the world in their own way and rock the world of those around them. i forget my own little mission and purpose when everyone is moving on to the next chapter, i have to remember i'm here now and i still have to make the most of it because this too is going to come to an end pretty quick and there is a whole year of life to live before then!
so last night we went out for dinner with the roomies to dukes. the poor girls, em and myself went for a run before we met up with them, thinking there would be like a 40min wait and we'd get there in time for the table, but they wouldn't seat anyone till the full party was there so they'd been waiting like a whole hour for us and then had to wait like another 20mins once we got there. felt so bad for them, sorry girls! by the time we sat down we didn't even converse or reminisce, everyone was so hungry we just stuffed our faces and then left! at least it was amazing food. i love dukes! mmm salad bar...
so i'm going home in 3 days for like a week then we're off to china for a week and then back home for like a month or so. so that will be awesome. i'm excited to go to china again, last time was fun but there was a definite culture shock, this time i feel a lot more prepared and ready to experience it. i also have 2 friends who are guna be in beijing (like an hour and a half from where we'll be) and they will be there for a couple of days with not much to do so i'm trying to convince them to come see me so that would be flippin sweet!
And then when I get home there are people to catch up with and weddings to help plan and get excited about! and a job to find and the task of figuring out how to get around and do all this without a car. as much as i would love to improve my bicycling skills, from manurewa to town is just a wee bit far... although it would be amazing training and i would get a lovely bottom out of it.
anyways must be off, things to do and organise before the day is already over.
love the ones you're with
A
i kinda feel like i'm a little bit in mourning at the mo, it's guna be so strange being here without these peeps who have been my support network since i got here. who have seen me grow up a little bit and been with me the whole time and who know things about me better than i know myself i think. it's hard being the one who is being left behind... usually i'm the one who leaves! feeling a little left behind, they're all going out to their amazing lives and i know they're each guna change the world in their own way and rock the world of those around them. i forget my own little mission and purpose when everyone is moving on to the next chapter, i have to remember i'm here now and i still have to make the most of it because this too is going to come to an end pretty quick and there is a whole year of life to live before then!
so last night we went out for dinner with the roomies to dukes. the poor girls, em and myself went for a run before we met up with them, thinking there would be like a 40min wait and we'd get there in time for the table, but they wouldn't seat anyone till the full party was there so they'd been waiting like a whole hour for us and then had to wait like another 20mins once we got there. felt so bad for them, sorry girls! by the time we sat down we didn't even converse or reminisce, everyone was so hungry we just stuffed our faces and then left! at least it was amazing food. i love dukes! mmm salad bar...
so i'm going home in 3 days for like a week then we're off to china for a week and then back home for like a month or so. so that will be awesome. i'm excited to go to china again, last time was fun but there was a definite culture shock, this time i feel a lot more prepared and ready to experience it. i also have 2 friends who are guna be in beijing (like an hour and a half from where we'll be) and they will be there for a couple of days with not much to do so i'm trying to convince them to come see me so that would be flippin sweet!
And then when I get home there are people to catch up with and weddings to help plan and get excited about! and a job to find and the task of figuring out how to get around and do all this without a car. as much as i would love to improve my bicycling skills, from manurewa to town is just a wee bit far... although it would be amazing training and i would get a lovely bottom out of it.
anyways must be off, things to do and organise before the day is already over.
love the ones you're with
A
Tuesday, May 08, 2007
the ship that never sailed
i've tried 3 times to post this post but every time the internet cuts out right when i go to post. so now i'm in a cafe and that wont happen. but i can't be bothered analysing the whole thing for the 4th time so this will be short
we're not going to nationals. a committee decided that even though we wasted san diego state and have been ranked higher than them since the end of march, they still deserved to go more than us because they played more games and won more games against division 2 and 3 teams. so we got robbed.
in the last 3 posts that never posted i explained that as heart-breaking as this whole thing had been, we still had something to be proud of we've come so far this year as a team and we can hold our heads high. personally my world has been rocked upside down this year, i feel a lot older (lol, maybe have the emotional maturity of a 10 yr old now) and calm about the world and water polo and people and their opinions. so yea it really sucks but i've taken things out of this season that are so much more valuable than a plaque to say we were at NCAAs 2008 and 3 more games.
I got back in the water yesterday with a couple of other girls, but just wasn't ready to pass yet. the funny thing is, neither were a bunch of other girls. i had to giggle. i'll give it a go tonight. we'll see how it goes : )
in other news, i'm done with school! woop woop! had 3 exams yesterday and now i just have to write a couple more pages on a paper and then, c'est tout!
days are counting down to when 10 of my friends leave... i cried the other night, i got to pay tribute to some of them and burst into tears in front of like 50 people. yea, story of my life : )
and thats it for now : )
peace
we're not going to nationals. a committee decided that even though we wasted san diego state and have been ranked higher than them since the end of march, they still deserved to go more than us because they played more games and won more games against division 2 and 3 teams. so we got robbed.
in the last 3 posts that never posted i explained that as heart-breaking as this whole thing had been, we still had something to be proud of we've come so far this year as a team and we can hold our heads high. personally my world has been rocked upside down this year, i feel a lot older (lol, maybe have the emotional maturity of a 10 yr old now) and calm about the world and water polo and people and their opinions. so yea it really sucks but i've taken things out of this season that are so much more valuable than a plaque to say we were at NCAAs 2008 and 3 more games.
I got back in the water yesterday with a couple of other girls, but just wasn't ready to pass yet. the funny thing is, neither were a bunch of other girls. i had to giggle. i'll give it a go tonight. we'll see how it goes : )
in other news, i'm done with school! woop woop! had 3 exams yesterday and now i just have to write a couple more pages on a paper and then, c'est tout!
days are counting down to when 10 of my friends leave... i cried the other night, i got to pay tribute to some of them and burst into tears in front of like 50 people. yea, story of my life : )
and thats it for now : )
peace
Saturday, April 28, 2007
we nearly went to oz today
So here we are in the desert, AZ, I seriously don't know how people live here - it's not even summer yet and it's like 40C it's insane. you could seriously get heat stroke walking to your car! today we played Stanford and lost by like 6 goals, had a good first and last 1/4 but were lackin in the middle a wee bit. Still though we're playing a lot better this week and it feels a lot better too, we're all on the same page and lovin eachother and it's sweet.
yesterday we beat san jose state so now we're goin to the 'ship! yay! we did it! after all the drama of this season we actually pulled through and have played a little bit like what we're capable of. it's really nice to know you're not as delluded as you sound : )
so today in the middle of our game we had to get out because there was a dust storm. it was pretty cool, half way through the 2nd it got really cloudy and everyone was stoked because there wasn't any more glare and anyways, but the sky went orange and i was like, is there a fire somewhere? because the air got plump like it was guna rain but it wasn't wet. so i didn't know. and then the refs said we had to get out for 1/2 an hour for it to pass. when we got back in the water was pretty gross and at the time it was all very dramatic. we had to go inside, we hung out in this random room that i called the bomb shelter : )
haha, above is ryan and right is me and kristen getting scared. lol, i got a fringe last week so now when my hair isn't done i look like joe dirt : ) haha!
um... I'm trying to think what else. Did I tell you we're going to nationals!!! woop woop!!
nearly done with school, just 1 day left. then it's finals time and then it's all over! and then we might go to world league in China or I might go home for a few months! either way I'll be SO stoked.
peace
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
Trade Winds
The other morning in practice, it was like 7something am and we were just sitting in the dive well passing the ball around, the air was quieter than usual and the sky really beautiful and clear, the sun just popping out over the bleachers, and it felt like summer is coming. For the first time since being here at this time of year, it feels like summer is in the air... yay!
School is nearly done, polo is nearly done for a wee while - just 3 more tournaments - conference, nationals and then the first round of world league in China. And then I have like a whole 5 weeks at home! home! yay! even though it will be winter and I'll have to find a job and won't have a car yay!
My cousin got engaged last weekend yay! I'm so excited for them! it cracks me up though because now tali is like my only close christian single friend so at the age of 22 i'm pretty much a spinster at church. I'm going to be the girl everyone feels sorry for and tries to set up on blind dates lol : )
I cut my hair and got a fringe. I like it, still not quite used to it but it's what I wanted and it'll grow and you only live once don't you : ) have been thinking lately that I sincerely hope that as I grow older, I get more adventurous and more open to trying anything. Like my parents are like that so I guess that's a good sign for me. They always surprise me because I always think they're pretty conservative but then they go and do something crazy cool that makes me smile.
Meike is leaving forever in like 2 weeks I'm really going to miss her. And Kezia and Alyssa and Juliana and Christel and Kim and Liz...next year is going to be really strange and hard. But I won't think about it yet
must go pack, we're leaving again. Arizona this time - something new
School is nearly done, polo is nearly done for a wee while - just 3 more tournaments - conference, nationals and then the first round of world league in China. And then I have like a whole 5 weeks at home! home! yay! even though it will be winter and I'll have to find a job and won't have a car yay!
My cousin got engaged last weekend yay! I'm so excited for them! it cracks me up though because now tali is like my only close christian single friend so at the age of 22 i'm pretty much a spinster at church. I'm going to be the girl everyone feels sorry for and tries to set up on blind dates lol : )
I cut my hair and got a fringe. I like it, still not quite used to it but it's what I wanted and it'll grow and you only live once don't you : ) have been thinking lately that I sincerely hope that as I grow older, I get more adventurous and more open to trying anything. Like my parents are like that so I guess that's a good sign for me. They always surprise me because I always think they're pretty conservative but then they go and do something crazy cool that makes me smile.
Meike is leaving forever in like 2 weeks I'm really going to miss her. And Kezia and Alyssa and Juliana and Christel and Kim and Liz...next year is going to be really strange and hard. But I won't think about it yet
must go pack, we're leaving again. Arizona this time - something new
Sunday, April 15, 2007
For Tals
When I was home last, inspired by Alex's tatoos I had a conversation with my dear friend Athalia about whether or not we would get one. She is the only other person I have ever met who would get one on the bottom of her foot! Hers was the fish and mine was the southern cross - if we were ever motivated enough to save the money and actually go through with it.
so anyways, in one of our many hours driving last week, I got bored. I think the photo turned out pretty sweet anyway : )
so anyways, in one of our many hours driving last week, I got bored. I think the photo turned out pretty sweet anyway : )
5-0 streak
so we just got back from a 8 day road trip, in which we played 4 games. It was a really long trip and involved a lot of driving and most attempts to do school work just didnt' work out for me. So here we are again, now 6 weeks behind in school work, but since we only have 3 weeks left of school I'm searching for a motivation that just doesn't seem to be there. We won all of our games, which is a new record for this season - 4 wins in a road trip, and now we have won 5 games in a row. the games were pretty shocking we were losing to a div 3 team at half time. but we won so I will be happy.
in other news, I'm not really enjoying this whole traveling so much thing. I was feeling really down and disconnected from the world for the whole week and didn't really understand why until I realised that the longest I've been in one place since december is 3 weeks. So it's no surprise really. I just wish I had more time with my friends who are leaving hawaii this semester, it's going to be so hard without them. I had a cry with my other dear friend who is kinda feeling the same way and we decided that we actually can't think about tomorrow, we must only take each day as it comes. And so I won't talk about that anymore.
On a lighter note, I love my team. Even though for some reason we're not playing very well, I just really love getting to know each of them a little more and getting some one on one time with each of them and just being around these girls who see all my weaknesses and the worst possible side of me that I'm sure most people think doesn't even exhist ; ) but still love me. I hope they feel as safe with me as I do with them and that I have something to offer each of them, wherever they're at.
Coralee and Alex have set a wedding date, and I can go!!!!!!!!! woop woop! It's a week after Michelle and AJs, which is on my bday and it's just guna be the coolest week ever! it will even get me an extra few days at home over xmas without causing a kerfuffle with school. I can graduate in May, I think I'm going to do all but my senior thesis next semester (4 french classes and 1 pols) and that way if I don't end up playing next season I could probably graduate without having to be here, if I don't want to hang out in Hawaii. It would be really really hard to be here during season without playing.
k thats my news
big loves
A xxox
in other news, I'm not really enjoying this whole traveling so much thing. I was feeling really down and disconnected from the world for the whole week and didn't really understand why until I realised that the longest I've been in one place since december is 3 weeks. So it's no surprise really. I just wish I had more time with my friends who are leaving hawaii this semester, it's going to be so hard without them. I had a cry with my other dear friend who is kinda feeling the same way and we decided that we actually can't think about tomorrow, we must only take each day as it comes. And so I won't talk about that anymore.
On a lighter note, I love my team. Even though for some reason we're not playing very well, I just really love getting to know each of them a little more and getting some one on one time with each of them and just being around these girls who see all my weaknesses and the worst possible side of me that I'm sure most people think doesn't even exhist ; ) but still love me. I hope they feel as safe with me as I do with them and that I have something to offer each of them, wherever they're at.
Coralee and Alex have set a wedding date, and I can go!!!!!!!!! woop woop! It's a week after Michelle and AJs, which is on my bday and it's just guna be the coolest week ever! it will even get me an extra few days at home over xmas without causing a kerfuffle with school. I can graduate in May, I think I'm going to do all but my senior thesis next semester (4 french classes and 1 pols) and that way if I don't end up playing next season I could probably graduate without having to be here, if I don't want to hang out in Hawaii. It would be really really hard to be here during season without playing.
k thats my news
big loves
A xxox
Tuesday, April 10, 2007
Where Am I?
So, I'm not exactly sure why because I thought that I was a travelling machine and was not the kind of person to suffer from jet lag or have trouble adjusting to time differences, but I guess after a couple of months of only being in one time zone for 2 weeks max takes its toll on even the machiniest machines...
We're in LA at the moment on our last road trip before our conference finals. We had a big win last week against Cal (10-9) which means that if we win our next 3 games then we probably won't cross over with them at MPSFs (conference finals) which means we have a really really good chance of going to nationals. So I really hope that we can do it. Our game against Cal was pretty good, I must say it was a bit of an out of body experience for me, we just got back from Melbourne the day before (10 hr flight) and were pretty dead. And somehow I managed to score 3 goals so I guess I should do that more often? I'm really glad we pulled it together for that game, it showed us what we're capable of - we created a lot on offense and did some really good defense so even though I think we could have won by a bit more, everyone is a bit more excited now. Today we played Santa Barbara and we were up by like 4 goals the whole game and then in the last 4 minutes they came to within one goal, luckily we managed to keep it together for the last minute and come away with the win. It was a bit disappointing because we were in control the whole game and the goals they scored at the end were just from foolish errors (mostly mine). But live and learn right? So on thursday we play CS Northridge and Saturday we play Hartwick and Cal Baptist. It will be good to see the kiwi girls again and have a wee catch up after worlds again. I kinda miss them.
The end of worlds was fun. We lost to brasil - we got wasted by brasil. We lost like 14-9 or something horrible like that. It was a horrible game, we were up 4-1 after the 1st 1/4 and then I duno what happened everything just started falling apart. We started yelling at eachother and stuff, which never happens, and yea it sucked. But we had a big talk after the game and sorted everything out and came together for the last game against Germany, which we lost in over time 10-9. Another disappointing loss but at the same time, it was a good, hard fought game and everyone was forced to give their best. So we came 12th at the 12th FINA world championships.
Our last night in Melbourne w
as a lot of fun, I even went out! I was even the last one standing! We were hanging out with the Kiwi guys and also the South African guys and it was a lot a lot of fun. I am a sucker for a safa accent and they were pretty good lookin and none of them were sleazy I just had the best time dancing the night away. The next day we had a bit of a sleep and a bit of a gossip session with everyone about the previous night's events and then were off on the plane back to Hawaii.
We're in LA at the moment on our last road trip before our conference finals. We had a big win last week against Cal (10-9) which means that if we win our next 3 games then we probably won't cross over with them at MPSFs (conference finals) which means we have a really really good chance of going to nationals. So I really hope that we can do it. Our game against Cal was pretty good, I must say it was a bit of an out of body experience for me, we just got back from Melbourne the day before (10 hr flight) and were pretty dead. And somehow I managed to score 3 goals so I guess I should do that more often? I'm really glad we pulled it together for that game, it showed us what we're capable of - we created a lot on offense and did some really good defense so even though I think we could have won by a bit more, everyone is a bit more excited now. Today we played Santa Barbara and we were up by like 4 goals the whole game and then in the last 4 minutes they came to within one goal, luckily we managed to keep it together for the last minute and come away with the win. It was a bit disappointing because we were in control the whole game and the goals they scored at the end were just from foolish errors (mostly mine). But live and learn right? So on thursday we play CS Northridge and Saturday we play Hartwick and Cal Baptist. It will be good to see the kiwi girls again and have a wee catch up after worlds again. I kinda miss them.
The end of worlds was fun. We lost to brasil - we got wasted by brasil. We lost like 14-9 or something horrible like that. It was a horrible game, we were up 4-1 after the 1st 1/4 and then I duno what happened everything just started falling apart. We started yelling at eachother and stuff, which never happens, and yea it sucked. But we had a big talk after the game and sorted everything out and came together for the last game against Germany, which we lost in over time 10-9. Another disappointing loss but at the same time, it was a good, hard fought game and everyone was forced to give their best. So we came 12th at the 12th FINA world championships.
Our last night in Melbourne w
as a lot of fun, I even went out! I was even the last one standing! We were hanging out with the Kiwi guys and also the South African guys and it was a lot a lot of fun. I am a sucker for a safa accent and they were pretty good lookin and none of them were sleazy I just had the best time dancing the night away. The next day we had a bit of a sleep and a bit of a gossip session with everyone about the previous night's events and then were off on the plane back to Hawaii.
School hasn't been too hard to catch up on, just had a couple of essays to write and now have like 3 exams to make up but hopefully they'll be ok. I'm just really gutted that we're always coming and going, I don't have much time at all with my friends who are graduating which is really sad. But at least I know to cherish the times we do get together. I just feel a little disconnected - a month is a long time to be away in the middle of a semester and then to only be around every other week, it's hard. But such is life. This time is so weird, it's like high school all over again exept now we have to be grown up once we graduate and start making the right decisions and scary stuff like that. Lucky for me I think I still have a few months before I have to find my way in the big wild world.
Sunday, March 25, 2007
Roller Coasters
Worlds has been amazing, as I'm sure it always is and always will be.
We ended up drawing to Cuba last week when we played them. We were pretty disappointed as we'd wanted a win but had to just take it in our stride. The funny thing is that, Italy and Hungary (the other 2 teams in our pool) also drew. So for the first time in Worlds history, we had 2 draws in a pool. So that made for interesting games everone just trying to score as much as we could so we'd go through to the top 12 at least. For Italy and Hungary they were fighting it out for 1st place in our pool to go straight through to the top 8. We lost 17-7 to Hungary, which, although sounds bad and granted, is bad, shows a big improvement of NZ since the beginning of our program a few years ago when we lost 18-1 at the Olympic Qualifiers in 2004. We even scored the first goal and were even after the 1st quarter (gotta claim all we can). So anyways, we also lost by 12 goals to Italy. But the thing is, because this never happened before, no one really knew who should go through as number 1 in our pool - first they said it would be determined by their results with number 3 (us) - so Italy would have gone through, or with their overall goal difference - which would make Hungary go through because they beat Cuba by like 15 goals. They ended up deciding on over all goal difference and it was the strangest sight to see pool side. NZ was happy because we were in the top 12, and Italy, who had just won by 12 goals, were crying and yelling at eachother and kicking signs over, they even smashed a window on the bus. Needless to say it was an emotional night.
So yesterday we played Greece and for the first time I think we were pretty disappointed with our game. We just didn't play the way we have been playing, with the same heart or sight. We went down 6-0 in the first half, and clawed our way back in the 2nd half to bring the final score to 9-5. One good thing though, was for the first time this tournament I wasn't on 2 in the first quarter so got to play a lot of the game, and I didn't even get majored. So I was happy about that anyway.
In other events, I have been watching a bit of diving, There was a kid here who goes to UH diving for sweden so we watched him as much as we could. He's one cool cat. I have so much admiration for divers, they must need so so so much patience to get to even competition level let alone international level. There is something quite fascinating about bodies flying and twisting and turning through the air I must say. And we also got to watch the groups final of the synchronised swimming so that was awesome! they were like throwing people through the air and climbing over eachother and the russians even got a tower of 2 people high out of the water - and in synchro you're not allowed to touch the bottom so they were holding them up doing egg beater. Amazing.
Tomorrow we play Brasil to decide whether we play off for 9th or 11th. I hope we win, Brasil is one of those teams that never gives up and is really emotional and passionate so even though I definitely think we're a better team, we will really have to work hard for it.
It's crazy that we've nearly been here for 2 whole weeks and we'll only play 6 games, but it's so fun. I thought before we came that this might be my last worlds but now I really want another one...getting a bit far ahead of myself I think. It's a wee way away.
In other exciting news! One of my bestest friends Coralee just got engaged last weekend to the most amazing boy who adores her. I'm so happy for them, and they are getting married over my winter holidays, and ALSO one of my other most closest childhood friends Michelle is getting married on my birthday! I'm so excited, it's going to be the best xmas, new years and bday ever!
We ended up drawing to Cuba last week when we played them. We were pretty disappointed as we'd wanted a win but had to just take it in our stride. The funny thing is that, Italy and Hungary (the other 2 teams in our pool) also drew. So for the first time in Worlds history, we had 2 draws in a pool. So that made for interesting games everone just trying to score as much as we could so we'd go through to the top 12 at least. For Italy and Hungary they were fighting it out for 1st place in our pool to go straight through to the top 8. We lost 17-7 to Hungary, which, although sounds bad and granted, is bad, shows a big improvement of NZ since the beginning of our program a few years ago when we lost 18-1 at the Olympic Qualifiers in 2004. We even scored the first goal and were even after the 1st quarter (gotta claim all we can). So anyways, we also lost by 12 goals to Italy. But the thing is, because this never happened before, no one really knew who should go through as number 1 in our pool - first they said it would be determined by their results with number 3 (us) - so Italy would have gone through, or with their overall goal difference - which would make Hungary go through because they beat Cuba by like 15 goals. They ended up deciding on over all goal difference and it was the strangest sight to see pool side. NZ was happy because we were in the top 12, and Italy, who had just won by 12 goals, were crying and yelling at eachother and kicking signs over, they even smashed a window on the bus. Needless to say it was an emotional night.
So yesterday we played Greece and for the first time I think we were pretty disappointed with our game. We just didn't play the way we have been playing, with the same heart or sight. We went down 6-0 in the first half, and clawed our way back in the 2nd half to bring the final score to 9-5. One good thing though, was for the first time this tournament I wasn't on 2 in the first quarter so got to play a lot of the game, and I didn't even get majored. So I was happy about that anyway.
In other events, I have been watching a bit of diving, There was a kid here who goes to UH diving for sweden so we watched him as much as we could. He's one cool cat. I have so much admiration for divers, they must need so so so much patience to get to even competition level let alone international level. There is something quite fascinating about bodies flying and twisting and turning through the air I must say. And we also got to watch the groups final of the synchronised swimming so that was awesome! they were like throwing people through the air and climbing over eachother and the russians even got a tower of 2 people high out of the water - and in synchro you're not allowed to touch the bottom so they were holding them up doing egg beater. Amazing.
Tomorrow we play Brasil to decide whether we play off for 9th or 11th. I hope we win, Brasil is one of those teams that never gives up and is really emotional and passionate so even though I definitely think we're a better team, we will really have to work hard for it.
It's crazy that we've nearly been here for 2 whole weeks and we'll only play 6 games, but it's so fun. I thought before we came that this might be my last worlds but now I really want another one...getting a bit far ahead of myself I think. It's a wee way away.
In other exciting news! One of my bestest friends Coralee just got engaged last weekend to the most amazing boy who adores her. I'm so happy for them, and they are getting married over my winter holidays, and ALSO one of my other most closest childhood friends Michelle is getting married on my birthday! I'm so excited, it's going to be the best xmas, new years and bday ever!
Saturday, March 17, 2007
autumn in the southern hemisphere
So we just got to melbourne for world champs the other day after coming 3rd in the southern cross cup we had in NZ. I think overall the tournament was a big success and thouroughly enjoyable, for myself anyway! PS I have the cutest niece in the whole world.
I don't know if it's good or bad but more and more I'm just enjoying water polo as this incredible way to bring people together. In NZ last week we had people who had grown up in the soviet union, people who had endured civil war, people who eat pasta for breakfast lunch and dinner, people who I always make fun of like americans and brits, and then us, all together in lil' ol NZ playing a sport that we love. The reality is that really in the end everyone just wants to win but in my brain I think it's such an incredible privelage and so cool to be friends with and play against people from all over the world, from incredible backgrounds and histories. and i just think thats cool
We got to show Meik around a wee bit, so cool, I think she really enjoyed it. So I was really happy about that, we just went to newmarket and had tea. and do you know what I love about Meike? OK so she was on a budget right, and we were in the middle of the shopping district, and Meike spends the last of her money on a bag of tea. Granny's garden fruit tea to be precise. That is was I love about Miek. While the rest of her team went to NZ's poor version of an outlet mall, and Meike bought tea. anyways, then I showed her my old uni, which brought on a big wave of nostalgia eating hummus in albert park and just not going to class. and then we went to Em and Kelly's house so she could see it and they're on the way to Piha. Piha was good. It was an
awesome raw NZ day with wind that blew your hair off and the break going all the way out past the point. I was like, now you get what I mean when I say in NZ the break goes out like 100m from shore.
I was also lucky enough to catch up a little with some good friends while I was back so I'm still on a high from that.
And now here we are at world champs, tomorrow we have our first game against Cuba. They were our nearly last game last time. So it will be a good game and hopefully we'll come out on top!
There is so much going on in Melbourne at the mo, and there was so much going on in Auckland too, there was Pasifika festival, the Auckland Festival and a bunch of sweet concerts and stuff. It just hasn't stopped once coming to Melbourne. As I'm writing this the grand prix is going on right across the road, so that's loud. And also the Melbourne wine and food festival is on right now too. It's crazy! So much to do!
Sunday, March 04, 2007
home!
I'm home!
Only for like 2 weeks, and we have so many games and trainings I don't know if I'll even get to catch up with anyone but wow, I have to say that I think I am possibly the most blessed person in the whole world with my friends and family. Both at home and away. I'm just really blown away right now thinking about it. People are so amazing.
Polo is good ish, we had a couple of really bad games (UH) last weekend, 10 games in 11 days. Killer. and then we had like 3 days at in HI then I came back home to NZ! Then we've just been scrimmaging against Great Britain and touching up on a few of our moves and stuff. It's so good to play with everyone again, and it's so cool to see how much everyone has grown as players, we have 2 girls in Italy and one in France and one in LA and then the HI girls and the Hartwick girls and it's just so awesome to come together again. Everyone is so cool and has improved so much and it's just really awesome.
Tomorrow we have our first official game against Great Britain and then the Southern Cross tournament starts on Thursday. It's so cool there are so many teams here, in the women there's the Netherlands and Germany and Great Britain, and in the Men there are Serbia (#1 in the world at the mo), Italy, Russia, USA and Canada. And we're getting a lot of media coverage and stuff so it'll be really good for water polo in NZ. It's a really exciting thing to be a part of.
It's so nice to be here, it's still summer, the sky is blue and the sun is still setting late and I just really love the feeling in the air at this time of the year...
woop woop!
Only for like 2 weeks, and we have so many games and trainings I don't know if I'll even get to catch up with anyone but wow, I have to say that I think I am possibly the most blessed person in the whole world with my friends and family. Both at home and away. I'm just really blown away right now thinking about it. People are so amazing.
Polo is good ish, we had a couple of really bad games (UH) last weekend, 10 games in 11 days. Killer. and then we had like 3 days at in HI then I came back home to NZ! Then we've just been scrimmaging against Great Britain and touching up on a few of our moves and stuff. It's so good to play with everyone again, and it's so cool to see how much everyone has grown as players, we have 2 girls in Italy and one in France and one in LA and then the HI girls and the Hartwick girls and it's just so awesome to come together again. Everyone is so cool and has improved so much and it's just really awesome.
Tomorrow we have our first official game against Great Britain and then the Southern Cross tournament starts on Thursday. It's so cool there are so many teams here, in the women there's the Netherlands and Germany and Great Britain, and in the Men there are Serbia (#1 in the world at the mo), Italy, Russia, USA and Canada. And we're getting a lot of media coverage and stuff so it'll be really good for water polo in NZ. It's a really exciting thing to be a part of.
It's so nice to be here, it's still summer, the sky is blue and the sun is still setting late and I just really love the feeling in the air at this time of the year...
woop woop!
Friday, February 23, 2007
5 down, 5 to go
I'm so tired, and part of me is like why? and the other part is like, don't be stupid.
Starting last friday we have 10 games in 11 days, which is pretty a lot. We're half way now and just have 2 tomorrow, 2 on sunday and then one on tuesday when we get back (we're in California at the moment)
and then friday I go home to the national team and the southern cross tournament. at least we're getting a lot of games in : )
We've been playing ok, it feels like we're putting in a lot of effort and not getting much back, I think if we can cut down on our errors and slow down in our heads a bit we'll be a lot better off for it.
and for those that aren't really interested in water polo... : )
I got to see Viv (my sister) last night for a couple of hours which was really cool, she's over here for work and was staying just down the road so as soon as we got to the hotel last night we hung out for a wee bit. it was nice, I'm going to see her again in like a week but it was really nice to see her in the OC anyway : )
um... here are some sweet photos from when I was home at xmas
:This one is of Kate and Nicholas in the bath, isn't she so cute.
and then I can't remember why but Kate was crying after her bath so had to tickle her
this is prob one of my all time favourite photos - Grandpa and Katie pie eating sweet corn on the grass by the swing : )
and last but not least, the brothers garks. I really love them,
they're so cool....
Um... I can't think of much else to write...oh I got two really awesome bikinis today for really cheap. Like really nice ones that I would pay like $100 each for at home but were $20 each here at Ross. Gotta love Ross : )
k time to go,
peace out cub scouts
Monday, February 05, 2007
This Time of Year...
I'm usually at the beach. Or playing water polo in some foreign country (other than NZ or USA).
2007 however, has been a whole new story. I have been at school for a month already, while all my friends are lapping up the last hot month of summer and getting fabuloso tans, I have been at school. Taking classes that make me fall asleep because I feel like I'm form 4 again but I have to take these classes because I'm not really going to be at school much from now on.
I only have 4 weeks left till the end of the semester really...
Sorry, OK I'm totally not complaining, my tan is lovely and it's always hot here so it's not like I'm missing out, it's just so weird going to class in January. Like, straight after my birthday. I really don't know how I'm going to survive in the real world. It's so mean, they give us like a good 3 months off school through high school, then at uni they give you like 4 or 5, and then when you start work you're down to 3 for the rest of your life. Who worked that out? I think it's pretty mean.
A good majority of my friend, except for like polo girls are graduating at the end of this semester and I'm really sad about it. I'm in Hawaii for a week and a half and then we go on our next road trip to CA, then I'm back for a few days and then we're off home and to Australia for worlds, and then I'm back to HI for a few days then it's another road trip, then back for a week then it's conference finals in Arizona, and then it's the last week of school. I have a slightly overwhelmed feeling coming over me. Not really, it just sounds a little overwhelming doesn't it?
We just got back from our first road trip, I forgot how long they are. We were away for 6 days and played 6 games in 4 days. I think we got a good kick in the bum so that was good, the first games are always pretty shocking and then you pull your head in and things work out a bit. So at least now we know where we are and where we want to go. And I have decided that I have 5 weeks (thats how long it is till world champs) to become a really good water polo player.
Now I know you're thinking, hang on Amy, you're on your national team you can't be that bad. I'm not saying I'm bad, I'm just thinking I want to be a lot better than I am right now. So no doubt I'll let you know how that goes.
I'm a little dillusional...can you tell?
2007 however, has been a whole new story. I have been at school for a month already, while all my friends are lapping up the last hot month of summer and getting fabuloso tans, I have been at school. Taking classes that make me fall asleep because I feel like I'm form 4 again but I have to take these classes because I'm not really going to be at school much from now on.
I only have 4 weeks left till the end of the semester really...
Sorry, OK I'm totally not complaining, my tan is lovely and it's always hot here so it's not like I'm missing out, it's just so weird going to class in January. Like, straight after my birthday. I really don't know how I'm going to survive in the real world. It's so mean, they give us like a good 3 months off school through high school, then at uni they give you like 4 or 5, and then when you start work you're down to 3 for the rest of your life. Who worked that out? I think it's pretty mean.
A good majority of my friend, except for like polo girls are graduating at the end of this semester and I'm really sad about it. I'm in Hawaii for a week and a half and then we go on our next road trip to CA, then I'm back for a few days and then we're off home and to Australia for worlds, and then I'm back to HI for a few days then it's another road trip, then back for a week then it's conference finals in Arizona, and then it's the last week of school. I have a slightly overwhelmed feeling coming over me. Not really, it just sounds a little overwhelming doesn't it?
We just got back from our first road trip, I forgot how long they are. We were away for 6 days and played 6 games in 4 days. I think we got a good kick in the bum so that was good, the first games are always pretty shocking and then you pull your head in and things work out a bit. So at least now we know where we are and where we want to go. And I have decided that I have 5 weeks (thats how long it is till world champs) to become a really good water polo player.
Now I know you're thinking, hang on Amy, you're on your national team you can't be that bad. I'm not saying I'm bad, I'm just thinking I want to be a lot better than I am right now. So no doubt I'll let you know how that goes.
I'm a little dillusional...can you tell?
Tuesday, January 23, 2007
resurfacing
I want to get back into this. But there is this weird fear thing thats like hmmm will I actually commit or will I just update once and forget it again for the next 6 months?
Regardles, we'll give it a go.
Uni this semester is awes. I'm takin 3 classes at school just elementary basic core requirements that for some reason are neccessary in the States and then 2 online, one is about staying healthy (I can't believe they offer that at university) and one is about International Relations and Human Rights. We're studying Niger and the food crisis of 2005 and what's been going on since and it's freakin hot stuff. Sad, makes me want to cry but so interesting. Niger is one of the poorest countries in the UN and also has the lowest Human Development Index, which means that they don't have much education and they don't earn much. So you'd think they'd get more aid than most. But they don't. they get an average of $200 per capita a year, the Marshall Islands, where the US does nuclear testing, gets and average of $16,000 per capita a year. It's all very interesting and also very shocking and just makes me want to go save the world even more.
We leave for our first road trip on Tuesday. A week from today. I'm excited. for the first time in a long time everyone is in high spirits and it's really cool and I like it. I hope we do well this year.
The apartment on the surface of things is neat and tidy but underneath something is about to explode. I'm sure it's really not that dramatic it just feels like it. Not very comfortable but am sure things will work out.
And that is the latest. for now I have to go to practice. Should be good.
Peace
A
Regardles, we'll give it a go.
Uni this semester is awes. I'm takin 3 classes at school just elementary basic core requirements that for some reason are neccessary in the States and then 2 online, one is about staying healthy (I can't believe they offer that at university) and one is about International Relations and Human Rights. We're studying Niger and the food crisis of 2005 and what's been going on since and it's freakin hot stuff. Sad, makes me want to cry but so interesting. Niger is one of the poorest countries in the UN and also has the lowest Human Development Index, which means that they don't have much education and they don't earn much. So you'd think they'd get more aid than most. But they don't. they get an average of $200 per capita a year, the Marshall Islands, where the US does nuclear testing, gets and average of $16,000 per capita a year. It's all very interesting and also very shocking and just makes me want to go save the world even more.
We leave for our first road trip on Tuesday. A week from today. I'm excited. for the first time in a long time everyone is in high spirits and it's really cool and I like it. I hope we do well this year.
The apartment on the surface of things is neat and tidy but underneath something is about to explode. I'm sure it's really not that dramatic it just feels like it. Not very comfortable but am sure things will work out.
And that is the latest. for now I have to go to practice. Should be good.
Peace
A
Wednesday, August 23, 2006
Aloha everyone!!
I have done so much since the last post! In a nutshell: Went home for a day, then to Sydney for 5 days, then Yongzhou (middle of nowhere China) for a week, then LA for a week, then home for 3 weeks, and then back to Hawaii for school.
Sydney was awesome, got to stay at Olympic Park and hang for 4 whole days with my beloved beautiful amazing sister.
China was incredible, got a taste of what it's like to be famous in a place where you don't know the language, food, culture or where the heck you are and probably half the people you meet have never seen a white person before.
In LA I learnt that, despite my continuous rants about how terrible American food is, it's actually magnificent delightful fantastic after eating only rice and OSM (nutrition bars) for a week : )
The water polo was hard, discouraging, heart-breaking, but also put a determination into me that I don't think I've had in a while.
If anyone is interested I'd totally love to talk more about it and fill you in on everything but right now I can't be bothered and it feels like a bit too much to cover without making many of you fall asleep!
The real reason I'm posting is because I have a strange desire to draw something but Meike (my endlessly patient and wonderful roomie - who is very in touch with her creative side) isn't here and I can't find her pastels. So woe is me, I go to the next thing that she quietly and consistently, through example pushes me towards, and that is keeping my blog up to date for those who might be interested in my meagre existence : )
Have been back in HI for a bout a week and a half, the first week was the big stress trying to find somewhere to live. After being taken incredible care of for a week by one of my team mates and driven over half the island every day, we found an awesome apartment right across the road from school. On the 10th floor of a condominium apartment building (whatever that means) But it is lovely. We have a washer and dryer in our unit, 2 bathrooms, and we even have a dishwasher! Filling the apartment has been a lot of fun (other than trying to balance the bank account - probably the most un-fun thing in the world) thanks to walmart. With it's endless supply of almost everything.
For the first time since being here, I also got to see the freshman orientation - all these clean faced excited young adults and their parents, trying to make the transition as easy as possible. I got to spend a couple of hours and our Campus Crusade for Christ table, and I have to say it was really cute when so many parents came up to us asking for details for churches and info about us, and all these kids were totally mortified trying to hide. So funny and so cute.
Classes so far look pretty hard, but pretty interesting too. I have 2 political science classes - one of which is pretty much about images and advertising which is always interesting. And the other one, we do a whole section on refugees and their rights and just general being, which is totally what I'm into so I'm so excited about that. Then 2 french classes which is guna be awesome considering I haven't done much french at all in the last year and a half, but I always did like a challenge : ) and one english - literature of the Pacific - taught by Albert Wendt - famous NZ-Samoan writer and Reina Whaitiri. So I'm really excited about it. Of course it's going to be pretty political because of how hard it's been for so many polynesian cultures and the impacts of colonisation and thats what a lot of the writing is about, but it's pretty real and I'm excited to learn more about cultures in my part of the world.
Interesting fact - did you know that you can fit all the land above water in the whole world in the Pacific ocean with room to spare!
Training starts next week and I am determined to have a blast in my last year of elegibility. And so it will be : )
Hope everyone is awesome - it would totally make my day to hear from anyone at all : )
much love
A xxox
I have done so much since the last post! In a nutshell: Went home for a day, then to Sydney for 5 days, then Yongzhou (middle of nowhere China) for a week, then LA for a week, then home for 3 weeks, and then back to Hawaii for school.
Sydney was awesome, got to stay at Olympic Park and hang for 4 whole days with my beloved beautiful amazing sister.
China was incredible, got a taste of what it's like to be famous in a place where you don't know the language, food, culture or where the heck you are and probably half the people you meet have never seen a white person before.
In LA I learnt that, despite my continuous rants about how terrible American food is, it's actually magnificent delightful fantastic after eating only rice and OSM (nutrition bars) for a week : )
The water polo was hard, discouraging, heart-breaking, but also put a determination into me that I don't think I've had in a while.
If anyone is interested I'd totally love to talk more about it and fill you in on everything but right now I can't be bothered and it feels like a bit too much to cover without making many of you fall asleep!
The real reason I'm posting is because I have a strange desire to draw something but Meike (my endlessly patient and wonderful roomie - who is very in touch with her creative side) isn't here and I can't find her pastels. So woe is me, I go to the next thing that she quietly and consistently, through example pushes me towards, and that is keeping my blog up to date for those who might be interested in my meagre existence : )
Have been back in HI for a bout a week and a half, the first week was the big stress trying to find somewhere to live. After being taken incredible care of for a week by one of my team mates and driven over half the island every day, we found an awesome apartment right across the road from school. On the 10th floor of a condominium apartment building (whatever that means) But it is lovely. We have a washer and dryer in our unit, 2 bathrooms, and we even have a dishwasher! Filling the apartment has been a lot of fun (other than trying to balance the bank account - probably the most un-fun thing in the world) thanks to walmart. With it's endless supply of almost everything.
For the first time since being here, I also got to see the freshman orientation - all these clean faced excited young adults and their parents, trying to make the transition as easy as possible. I got to spend a couple of hours and our Campus Crusade for Christ table, and I have to say it was really cute when so many parents came up to us asking for details for churches and info about us, and all these kids were totally mortified trying to hide. So funny and so cute.
Classes so far look pretty hard, but pretty interesting too. I have 2 political science classes - one of which is pretty much about images and advertising which is always interesting. And the other one, we do a whole section on refugees and their rights and just general being, which is totally what I'm into so I'm so excited about that. Then 2 french classes which is guna be awesome considering I haven't done much french at all in the last year and a half, but I always did like a challenge : ) and one english - literature of the Pacific - taught by Albert Wendt - famous NZ-Samoan writer and Reina Whaitiri. So I'm really excited about it. Of course it's going to be pretty political because of how hard it's been for so many polynesian cultures and the impacts of colonisation and thats what a lot of the writing is about, but it's pretty real and I'm excited to learn more about cultures in my part of the world.
Interesting fact - did you know that you can fit all the land above water in the whole world in the Pacific ocean with room to spare!
Training starts next week and I am determined to have a blast in my last year of elegibility. And so it will be : )
Hope everyone is awesome - it would totally make my day to hear from anyone at all : )
much love
A xxox
Saturday, June 10, 2006
weddings
I went to the wedding of my friends Brenda and Marcus today, it was a sunrise service, starting at 5.30 am and we the bridesmaids were ofcourse up hours before that, the first waking up at 11.30pm to be ready for the big day. Let me tell you, it was chaos.
But I think the ceremony was one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen... the sun came up just as they made their vows and both of them were radiant, you would never had known the bride had had 2 hours sleep in the last 40. It was just 2 people, so excited about their love for eachother and for God and it was just really beautiful to watch and be a part of.
I guess weddings are always like that, I've just never seen the stress and work that goes into even the tiniest little details before; the costs that are paid (whether smart or unsmart) to set up the beginning of their lives together. I've never really noticed before the lengths that people will go to for someone they love who isn't their child. I know my parents love eachother so much but I haven't until now, realised the little sacrifices they make each day for eachother, and the willingness with which they give things up for eachother.
It was just a really cool day.
Will put up photos when I get them : )
much love
A
But I think the ceremony was one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen... the sun came up just as they made their vows and both of them were radiant, you would never had known the bride had had 2 hours sleep in the last 40. It was just 2 people, so excited about their love for eachother and for God and it was just really beautiful to watch and be a part of.
I guess weddings are always like that, I've just never seen the stress and work that goes into even the tiniest little details before; the costs that are paid (whether smart or unsmart) to set up the beginning of their lives together. I've never really noticed before the lengths that people will go to for someone they love who isn't their child. I know my parents love eachother so much but I haven't until now, realised the little sacrifices they make each day for eachother, and the willingness with which they give things up for eachother.
It was just a really cool day.
Will put up photos when I get them : )
much love
A
Saturday, May 20, 2006
Warning: Essay Follows
Hey everyone,
well I feel like I have so much to tell so hope you've got some time set aside for this essay you're in for.
We just finished school a couple of weeks ago, we did pretty well at our conference finals - we beat USC 9-10 to make the championship game and we ended up coming second so that was huge. Mich could hardly believe it. It was a pretty fun weekend - we were in Irvine and it was just a fun time I think. I didn't really play - I got majored in a couple of games so that was a bummer but it was fun anyway. The girls did really well.
Then we got home with a week to do finals, get out of the dorms and sort everything else out that we needed to do before leaving for nationals at UC Davis in Northern California. So that was a sleepless and slightly stressful week but managed to get on the plane to Sacremento having finished all my work and exams so it was awesome to just be able to think about polo and not have to worry about school or anything. The day we left was such a mess, Meike and myself had spent the whole night before packing so we'd had about 4 hrs sleep and then we got up, went for a swim, got a car from the athletic dept, packed the car and then Meike checked us out while I went to the chiropractor and then we got back to the pool just as the bus pulled up so we just managed to put all our gear (and trust me there was a LOT) in the storage room at the pool before jumping on the bus.
Davis was really special. We started out with 3 seniors at the beginning of the year and we finished with only one, Mari, and Ief was leaving us for national team commitments back in the Netherlands, and our assistant coaches Coralie and Margie were leaving us as well. So it was just a really good time of enjoying eachother and having fun playing together and I duno I just had a really good time. We ended up coming 4th but honestly, it didn't bother me. The last night we had a team dinner which was a lot of fun, everyone ended up giving a little speech about something they enjoyed about the team and saying thanks to eachother and the coaches - even Mich's friend who none of us had ever met before! so funny! and it was just so cool. We're going to miss them so incredibly much next year but I know wherever they all end up they're going to tear it up and keep being their awesome selves.
And then we came home and I spent a couple of days at Coralie and Margie's with Kelly (another Kiwi) and we went sea swimming and hiking and even did a short pool swim - it was a good time just relaxing. Me and Coralie went on this awesome hike around these rocks at a beach and there were all these deep rock pools you could swim in so we went for a dip and then kept going, and there were blow holes - that was cool. And the colours of the sea were so intense and so beautiful it was just rocking this world.
Now I am in Wyoming with my friend Emily from the UH soccer team for a couple of days before going to an Athletes in Action camp in Colorado tomorrow. It's been so nice. She has the coolest "American" house - has a basement and an attic! (never been in a house with either of those before) and from the outside it really looks like a doll house. So fun! Today we went on this little hike at a national park near here and it was so awesome driving out. just a road in the middle of these endless plains with the Rocky Mountains on the horizon. And the sky was so cool, we could see storms on the horizon and you could see lightening and stuff it was so cool. Also this afternoon when we got back, there was an afternoon thunder storm (quite a common summer occurrence) and the thunder was seriously right after the lightning. And you could see the lightning bolts. It was awesome. We were making guacamole and Emily's mum was like "I smell smoke!" and started running around all crazy like to make sure the house hadn't caught on fire or something. It was awesome.
And tomorrow I'm off to Fort Collins. Can't wait. This week is going to rock this world!
K, hope everyone is well - you should totally email me or something
much love
A xxox
well I feel like I have so much to tell so hope you've got some time set aside for this essay you're in for.
We just finished school a couple of weeks ago, we did pretty well at our conference finals - we beat USC 9-10 to make the championship game and we ended up coming second so that was huge. Mich could hardly believe it. It was a pretty fun weekend - we were in Irvine and it was just a fun time I think. I didn't really play - I got majored in a couple of games so that was a bummer but it was fun anyway. The girls did really well.
Then we got home with a week to do finals, get out of the dorms and sort everything else out that we needed to do before leaving for nationals at UC Davis in Northern California. So that was a sleepless and slightly stressful week but managed to get on the plane to Sacremento having finished all my work and exams so it was awesome to just be able to think about polo and not have to worry about school or anything. The day we left was such a mess, Meike and myself had spent the whole night before packing so we'd had about 4 hrs sleep and then we got up, went for a swim, got a car from the athletic dept, packed the car and then Meike checked us out while I went to the chiropractor and then we got back to the pool just as the bus pulled up so we just managed to put all our gear (and trust me there was a LOT) in the storage room at the pool before jumping on the bus.
Davis was really special. We started out with 3 seniors at the beginning of the year and we finished with only one, Mari, and Ief was leaving us for national team commitments back in the Netherlands, and our assistant coaches Coralie and Margie were leaving us as well. So it was just a really good time of enjoying eachother and having fun playing together and I duno I just had a really good time. We ended up coming 4th but honestly, it didn't bother me. The last night we had a team dinner which was a lot of fun, everyone ended up giving a little speech about something they enjoyed about the team and saying thanks to eachother and the coaches - even Mich's friend who none of us had ever met before! so funny! and it was just so cool. We're going to miss them so incredibly much next year but I know wherever they all end up they're going to tear it up and keep being their awesome selves.
And then we came home and I spent a couple of days at Coralie and Margie's with Kelly (another Kiwi) and we went sea swimming and hiking and even did a short pool swim - it was a good time just relaxing. Me and Coralie went on this awesome hike around these rocks at a beach and there were all these deep rock pools you could swim in so we went for a dip and then kept going, and there were blow holes - that was cool. And the colours of the sea were so intense and so beautiful it was just rocking this world.
Now I am in Wyoming with my friend Emily from the UH soccer team for a couple of days before going to an Athletes in Action camp in Colorado tomorrow. It's been so nice. She has the coolest "American" house - has a basement and an attic! (never been in a house with either of those before) and from the outside it really looks like a doll house. So fun! Today we went on this little hike at a national park near here and it was so awesome driving out. just a road in the middle of these endless plains with the Rocky Mountains on the horizon. And the sky was so cool, we could see storms on the horizon and you could see lightening and stuff it was so cool. Also this afternoon when we got back, there was an afternoon thunder storm (quite a common summer occurrence) and the thunder was seriously right after the lightning. And you could see the lightning bolts. It was awesome. We were making guacamole and Emily's mum was like "I smell smoke!" and started running around all crazy like to make sure the house hadn't caught on fire or something. It was awesome.
And tomorrow I'm off to Fort Collins. Can't wait. This week is going to rock this world!
K, hope everyone is well - you should totally email me or something
much love
A xxox
Saturday, April 22, 2006
Still Alive
Hey everyone,
sorry again for being so slack at this. i am going to be making more effort from now on i promise.
so how is everyone anyway? haven't been hearing much from the southern hemisphere lately *cough cough* I hope everyone is fantastic and Debbie if you read this I hope baby is fantastic and healthy and amazing fun even if you never get to sleep and are having to change nappies all day long : )
Here is good, the semester is finishing in 3 weeks and I'm baffled at how fast time flies. It's crazy I tell you. School has been going well - it turns out I'm smart or something - I got invited into the honours program which means I can take harder classes and on my diploma it says that I graduated "with honors" (no u because we're in america). I'm not sure if I will join yet, I haven't spoken to anyone, it would be cool to be a bit more challenged in classes and not just have to regurgitate everything I'm told but I do want to graduate asap and the thought of having to take extra classes isn't really very appealing. But we'll see anyway.
Polo has been improving, we started out shocker losing twice to Arizona which should NOT have happened but it did and twas horrible but then again I guess it was good to get a kick up the bum to get us motivated and realising that even though on paper we have an Iamazing team, we still have to work hard. Next weekend is our conference (league) finals are next weekend and it's basically going to come down to whether or not we beat berkeley to decide if we get to go to Nationals so that will be an exciting game. We've improved a lot this semester I think, and we definitely can it's just all up to us. I hope we do : ) will keep you posted on that one anyway.
I haven't had the most fun time with polo this semester, have had some major communication problems with the coach but we had this massive talk the other day and we both surprised ourselves with how un-stubborn we were and how much we actually listened, it was so good. Now I just have to remember to do that more often if a problem comes up and not get all prideful and try to ignore it and make everyone miserable... lol isn't that so funny how things snowball so much when all it would take to fix things is a bit of old fashioned talking over a cup of tea or something.
Went to disneyland last weekend! It was my second time there, and I have to say to anyone who goes in the future, make sure you scream your lungs out every ride. The first time I went, I thought I was too cool and was trying not to scream, but this time I just let loose, and it was so much more fun. So the key my friends, I guess for any adventure is to scream your lungs and and keep your eyes open and really experience it ya know? yea.
My sister in law had a baby on Friday NZ time, I have no idea what it is, or if everything went ok or anything. Mum and Dad have gone away for the weekend and I don't have their number, Emily thinks I'm really strange for not having my brother's number with my here. I've never thought about it. Maybe I should get it. I would quite like it - to be able to talk to my brothers/sister whenever I wanted just coz I could...My other brother is moving to Invercargill this week he's on the Southland NPC team and he's pretty much the best loch in the world so everyone keep your eyes open : ) Rees Logan yup, thats my brother!
Just watched a really intense movie called "Tsotsi". It's about South Africa and this boy who lives in a shanty town and steals a car that has a baby inside. It's based on a book. It's so good to see film coming out of Africa. What is it about Africa? It just tugs on my heart strings, not even really one place over another, when I look at my map, my eyes always come back to Africa. It could be because it's bang smack in the middle of my map, but I think it's something more than that...and I can't really explain it. Anyone else get that?
OK well I better go, will try to put some photos up, my computer is very stubborn at the mo and isn't uploading so will keep trying but otherwise you'll have to check out ringo.
OK I just found out about the unknown baby - 12.1 Lbs, 59 cm, Terence Nicholas Jens Logan. Will be called Nick most likely. My over 2m tall brother Rees the loch was 54cm when he was born. He is beautiful, lovely fat chubby cheeks but nothing else everything else is hot stuff. His hands are huge. He has a head full of black hair. Following all the voices around the room today (this is mum talking). When mummy was giving him his first bath the other day, his sister Kate asked "where's his fanny?" she really is quite intrigued with him. And he looks like his Aunty Amy - but you shoulda got that at the beautiful part ;)
sorry again for being so slack at this. i am going to be making more effort from now on i promise.
so how is everyone anyway? haven't been hearing much from the southern hemisphere lately *cough cough* I hope everyone is fantastic and Debbie if you read this I hope baby is fantastic and healthy and amazing fun even if you never get to sleep and are having to change nappies all day long : )
Here is good, the semester is finishing in 3 weeks and I'm baffled at how fast time flies. It's crazy I tell you. School has been going well - it turns out I'm smart or something - I got invited into the honours program which means I can take harder classes and on my diploma it says that I graduated "with honors" (no u because we're in america). I'm not sure if I will join yet, I haven't spoken to anyone, it would be cool to be a bit more challenged in classes and not just have to regurgitate everything I'm told but I do want to graduate asap and the thought of having to take extra classes isn't really very appealing. But we'll see anyway.
Polo has been improving, we started out shocker losing twice to Arizona which should NOT have happened but it did and twas horrible but then again I guess it was good to get a kick up the bum to get us motivated and realising that even though on paper we have an Iamazing team, we still have to work hard. Next weekend is our conference (league) finals are next weekend and it's basically going to come down to whether or not we beat berkeley to decide if we get to go to Nationals so that will be an exciting game. We've improved a lot this semester I think, and we definitely can it's just all up to us. I hope we do : ) will keep you posted on that one anyway.
I haven't had the most fun time with polo this semester, have had some major communication problems with the coach but we had this massive talk the other day and we both surprised ourselves with how un-stubborn we were and how much we actually listened, it was so good. Now I just have to remember to do that more often if a problem comes up and not get all prideful and try to ignore it and make everyone miserable... lol isn't that so funny how things snowball so much when all it would take to fix things is a bit of old fashioned talking over a cup of tea or something.
Went to disneyland last weekend! It was my second time there, and I have to say to anyone who goes in the future, make sure you scream your lungs out every ride. The first time I went, I thought I was too cool and was trying not to scream, but this time I just let loose, and it was so much more fun. So the key my friends, I guess for any adventure is to scream your lungs and and keep your eyes open and really experience it ya know? yea.
My sister in law had a baby on Friday NZ time, I have no idea what it is, or if everything went ok or anything. Mum and Dad have gone away for the weekend and I don't have their number, Emily thinks I'm really strange for not having my brother's number with my here. I've never thought about it. Maybe I should get it. I would quite like it - to be able to talk to my brothers/sister whenever I wanted just coz I could...My other brother is moving to Invercargill this week he's on the Southland NPC team and he's pretty much the best loch in the world so everyone keep your eyes open : ) Rees Logan yup, thats my brother!
Just watched a really intense movie called "Tsotsi". It's about South Africa and this boy who lives in a shanty town and steals a car that has a baby inside. It's based on a book. It's so good to see film coming out of Africa. What is it about Africa? It just tugs on my heart strings, not even really one place over another, when I look at my map, my eyes always come back to Africa. It could be because it's bang smack in the middle of my map, but I think it's something more than that...and I can't really explain it. Anyone else get that?
OK well I better go, will try to put some photos up, my computer is very stubborn at the mo and isn't uploading so will keep trying but otherwise you'll have to check out ringo.
OK I just found out about the unknown baby - 12.1 Lbs, 59 cm, Terence Nicholas Jens Logan. Will be called Nick most likely. My over 2m tall brother Rees the loch was 54cm when he was born. He is beautiful, lovely fat chubby cheeks but nothing else everything else is hot stuff. His hands are huge. He has a head full of black hair. Following all the voices around the room today (this is mum talking). When mummy was giving him his first bath the other day, his sister Kate asked "where's his fanny?" she really is quite intrigued with him. And he looks like his Aunty Amy - but you shoulda got that at the beautiful part ;)
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