A day out in Nuku Alofa 19/09/2015

Malo e lelei,

I'm back at the hostel after a big day out at my island, Nuku Alofa.

The crew at the hostel gave me a lift out as I planned to get a bike for the day.

Toni was telling me that in terms of lack of human rights, Tonga places 6 in the world. Toni said that this is confusing as everyone is Tonga seems so happy, no? 

I asked Toni what human rights was based on in this circumstance,  and how Tonga placed 6th. Toni said that it was because if domestic and child abuse. Toni said that women here can only be abused 'if they consent to it.' And that when women are hit by their husbands, their kids know to behave. But if the wives are not hit for a few days, the children start mucking up again. Toni said, so there is some logic there, isn't there? He asked me if I had heard of this kind of thing. I said that I hadn't. This all made me feel very uneasy and angry, but I kept my mouth shut. I know that New Zealand is trying to implement mandatory domestic abuse reporting as the incidences are so high. I wonder what will happen here.

The bike hire place was closed (why?) So on foot I went!

I started off walking by the wharf and then was approached by the sturdy guard trying to pick me up. I politely exited away and made my way to the market. Most of the clothes here are second hand and appear much to big for me. I settled on some pants that I'm not sure even fit me and might be see through. There was no where for me to try them on. The make and female owners of the shop suggested that I just take off my other shorts to try them on in the middle of the market  I giggled and told them that I already stuck out enough here without taking off my pants!

The market was great fun, lots of handicrafts and fresh vegetables. I bought a lovely artificial flower for my hair which I think is made from the coconut tree.

I managed to find a bus that went to the West of the island so that I could go for a swim. I love getting little local buses. I live how old they are, how there are no actual bus stops and everyone just crams on.

I really wanted to go for a surf but I don't think it will happen this trip. You need to get a charter boat out to where the waves break by the reef. The receptionist by the beach said that people return all cut up from the reef and their boards the same way, so much that they don't actually rent any boards. Much too advanced for me with the foam board! The receptionist also said that she thought I dressed appropriately,  its just that the Tongan people are excited by the 'palangi' (white people).

So I went for a a swim instead. I was told to go to this beach because I would have 'less people hassling me. ' It was very nice to have the whole beach to myself! The ocean floor is a bit spooky to step on though, as its mounted with hard coral.

I walked home, waiting for a bus to come up along side me that never came! I enjoyed the walk but was finding it hard to believe that it was 24 degrees as it felt much hotter. I rejected 3 taxis that offered me a lift as I was committed on getting the bus (its cheaper and a lot more colourful). 

Then no one drove past me! I savoured the walk by buying an icecream along the way.:)

On part of my accidental epic walk, I stumbled across a medical clinic supported by Aus Aid. I decided to knock on the door and introduce myself but it was locked. I'm sensing a theme here...

A man who worked at one of the resorts previously offered me a lift but I rejected it as I was sure a bus would come, and I wasn't sure if I was being silly getting a lift with a stranger.

He saw he walking on the way back and said ' you have walked a REALLY long way'. This was true,  so I took him up on the lift offer. He was very friendly and genuine and we picked up some of his friends kids along the way as school had finished. These kids are so cute. I really love the Islander kids and they seem to love me too. They even gave me Tongan cake to share with them and taught me how to play a game on their phone.

All the kids on the island wave furiously to you and are keen to start conversation.

Back in town, everyone is wearing red, Tongan football theme music is blaring and cars are paraded around the street covered in red and white balloons and Tongan flags. The Tongan rugby team versus Fiji tomorrow.  It's so exciting to be in a country when these kinds of things are happening. :)

Tonight I go to a traditional dinner and dance ceramony in a cave. Should be fun. :)

Nofo a

Xo

Made it to Tonga somehow!

Wow, I made it to Tonga!

 3 hours of broken sleep, a bus at 215 am to Auckland and arriving at Tonga at 1130am. The plane trip was awful cause the head rest wasn't able to move for you to rest against. So I was constantly falling asleep then waking up from falling off my chair for 3 hours, among some very noisy and obnoxious Mauri girls.

I am certainly feeling the island life here, I really feel like I am off the map, which is great! People here continue to ask me why I came to Tonga and are surprised that I am here on my own.

I'm the only backpacker at the guest house right now, but this is a true blessing tonight as I am exhausted and needing a good nights sleep. I spent the afternoon sleeping too!

I bought some food from an super market that appeared to be run by a Chinese family that didnt speak a word (of any language) to you and sold nothing fresh but apples. I have seen some fresh food at stalls randomly along the way which I might buy as I go. Fridges are a rarity (my hostel has one that doesn't feel cold). Electricity in Tonga in general is a bit scarce.

The infrastructure here all looks pretty primitive. I don't have a key to the hostel, you just walk in.

I saw some foreigners on my plane ( a couple) but I do feel like the only white person on this island! Aside from Toni, the guy who runs this hostel. Toni saw an ad for Tonga in the readers digest 25 years ago, he wanted to escape the English winters, so he has lived in Tonga ever since, married with children.

The climate here is fantastic,  right now is a low of 18 and top of 24 degrees. I love the smell of this place,  breathing in all of the island plants and trees, and what people are making for dinner. Island doggies wander around as well as people on motorbikes that look well overdue for servicing.

I went for a walk after my nap and I felt like I had accidentally paraded the white girl for the islander boys, everyone was honking their horns, yelling stuff out and whistling.  I stick out like a sore thumb!

I was talking to the nice young islander boy who works at the hostel, I told him about my experience walking today. I asked him if he felt I needed to wear more clothes, he said 'yes'. Ill have to keep my eyes peeled for a long Tongan dress. The young boy said that I should be careful walking by the bushes on my own , as some.people are dangerous.

I had to end up asking for a lighter from a household of Tongan guys. They gave me one but they stared at me like I was very strange!

We have a gas stove top here but the family next door use up all of the matches for cigarettes. :p

One of the Tongan women 'Lena' who works at the hostel, has been very sweet to me. We spent time talking about Tongan cultures and traditions as we drank kava together as I bought some from a family near by. It is my first time drinking it. It is fun to prepare, it has an earthy taste and makes your tongue and throat feel like you have drunk anesthetic. I like it. :)

It is a public holiday today as it is the Kings Coronation today. so everything is shut but all night I have heard people singing Tongan church hymns among the sound of crickets?  Some dogs barking and the breeze,  its fantastic.

Toni told me about a Canberra student nursing group that has done some nursing placements in Tonga. Naturally I knew both of the course convenors that run the group. I am starting not to be surprised that I find Canberra connections no matter where you are in the world.

Tomorrow I might hire a bike and go for a swim. Tomorrow night I will go to a traditional dinner with dancing.

Love Rasa

Leaving for Tonga after no sleep and a good old zorbing 17/09/2015

Oh my goodness. I am so deliriously tired! I barely slept the night before last, and last night I had 3 hours of broken sleep before getting my 215am shuttle in to Auckland.

It was very emotional leaving Tauranga,  my old standing relationships and new ones that still carry so much intensity. Maybe I will work here some time? I would at least not be too far from home.

Yesterday morning I spent at the play centre with Andrea and Mason. I sure am learning a lot about motherhood this trip!

Andrea and I had a go zorbing yesterday afternoon in Rotarua. It was mighty expensive and a little nauseating as i was so sleep deprived, but epic fun. My stomach hurts today from laughing so hard! For anyone who doesnt know what zorbing is; my explanation might make it sound more bizarre. You are placed inside a giant rubber ball with a little bit of water, and then you are rolled down a hill, where the speed can reach 30km an hour. This was set amongst the rolling hills in Rotorua with sheep nearby, so beautiful!

Zorbing has a similar effect of being on an extreme water slide. The video that we watched afterwards was hilarious, a constant mix of laughing and screaming and falling all over the place getting dunked in water! At the same zorbing place, they have jakoozies set up for after your zorb, sooo good. And no, that's not a picture of me in the zorb, cause I didn't want to pay $50 for a photo, damn tourist traps! watching the go pro footage afterwards was incredibly funny though! Andrea did such a good job managing to hold on to the go pro while I was swishing around like a drunk hamster.

I spent the evening at the hostel with Lucho and his friends who spent 10 hours lifting 25kg bags of a 'bora' chemical at a factory. They said that the factory was run by Mauri's and that they all had a hard time understanding them but regardless just nodded enthusiastically to everything.  I was told that I was much easier to understand then many other New Zealanders and Australians. I explained that I make a big effort when I travel and meet people who have English as a second language, to speak clearly and slowly. We talked about the complexities of different languages; French, Spanish and English. I didn't feel ready to leave, but I needed to try and get a teeny bit of sleep before Tonga.

I think my first day in Tonga will be sleeping, and I am definately okay with this. Again, I contemplated staying in a beautiful beach side resort, but, staying at  a backpackers really is the way to meet people and see a country.

It looks like a less than 30 of us will be getting on this plane to Tonga.  People ask why I am going to Tonga and I say, diving with humpback whales, I tell them I cared for a family from Tonga, I mention the TV show 'Jonah from Tonga'. But really the answer is, why not?  There is something great about going to a country that all you can find in a travel agent or even on the internet, half a page of information!

Yay Tonga! But even more, yay for sleep soon. Totally worthwhile sleep deprivation but will be great to sleep none the less.

Kia Ora

 Xo Rasa

Day two at Mount Maunganui 16/09/2015

Today  Andrea and I had take 2 of attempting to surf at the beach at Mount Manganui.

Today's surf was even flatter than yesterday.  It was completely still! So we went for another walk. We sat for forever on top of the cliffs talking about family and life. We talked about how our lives were both good and in different ways, and how you cannot really predict where life will take you. We talked about the 'sliding doors' thing, where one movement in your life can take you in a completely different direction. 

We had coffee and cake at the most amazing cafe; I could have eaten everything!

Andrea and I spent the afternoon at the hot springs where I was with Andrea last time I was here. I could have stayed there all day. Naturally heated water surrounded by New Zealand plants trees and birds is everything that makes me relaxed and happy.

In the evening I met up with Lucho and his friends, he is a South American traveler who has a working visa for New Zealand for a year before he starts work as a graduate Veterinarian. Lucho and his friends are very kind  and patient  my bad Spanish. And it was fun floating in between English and Spanish. I hung out with the group of travelers at the hostel also on working visas, and we talked about culture, life and politics between all of our different countries. This is one of the things that I love the most about travel.

All of the travelers were saying that it was hard to get work in New Zealand but that they were happy to do anything; factory work, farming, fruit picking, you name it, regardless of their skill set or previous jobs.

I got very little sleep last night but it was totally worth it!

I think we will go zorbing this afternoon.

Tomorrow will be a 215am shuttle pick up to get to Auckland, I'm gonna be an absolute zombie by the  time I get to Tonga! Ah well, all worth it. :)

Day at Mount Maunganui 14/09/2015

Andrea, Mason and I have just returned from the beach and Mountain are near Tauranga called 'Mount  Maunganui'.  

This place is just as beautiful as I remember it to be 2 years ago when I was last here.

The surf was weak  (even for me, the beginner). So we went for a walk together around the mountain by the sea. I'm so keen to go running again, but my body needs to recover.  Its nice to have a break and slow down  a bit too.

A lot of the morning, I was spending feeling reflective. I had terrible dreams last night. I think seeing Andrea with Mason has made me wonder when I will feel maternal and when or if I will have eternal love with another. 

When I was younger I was so sure by this age that I would want kids! A part of can see that all those things will be wonderful.  But another part of me is too scared about such a commitment and scared about it not working out.

The Mauri woman who spoke to us at the spiritual workshop said that each of us have different ways that we need to fulfill our spirituality. She used examples like being on the beach and feeling the sand in between the toes. She also talked about how she felt she needed to leave Auckland where she lived her whole life in order to explore her spirituality. 

She said that that making this move was both hard and incredible (in equal doses) as all of her loved ones still live in Auckland. I guess this is a lot of how I feel. I do feel like a part of me belongs at the beach. And I would love to get a one way ticket travelling, working however I can and learning languages and culture wherever I can. I'm also aware of how important my family and friends in my life are, and how hard it would be to be away from them, especially my grand dad. Most places that I travel to, I could see myself living there. And I can again see this with Tauranga, I felt that when I was last year.

 I love the culture of New Zealand, the landscape and the people in it. Perhaps I could create 7 of me to live in many different places? One of me could go and party while the other would stay in Canberra and get settled? 

Maybe Ill end up being a foster Mother if I don't end up feeling maternal? I quite like that idea actually. Before all that, a pet seems more appealing anyway. :p

I'm gonna miss Andrea so much when I leave.

Little ones help to bring you back to the present moment. Mason was having the greatest time, watching the crabs in the water,  the sheep, lambs and bunnies by the mountain and the seals.

We found a dead star fish that we took home with us. We ate the NZ Copenhagen ice creams at the end. It was brilliant.

Andrea seems to have recovered from her epic hangover which is good news too. :p

Its nice not having a schedule when you are away, having naps in the afternoon and  reading a lot more. Going for walks by the nearby historical village is lovely too. Oh and the sun, I was meant to be born in a sunny place!

Kia Ora.

12/09/2015 Spirituality in cancer care workshop

I went to the Spirituality in Cancer Care workshop yesterday with Andrea's Mum Lyn.  However I've always called Lyn 'Len' as I thought that was her name. I found out recently that it was because of the NZ accent that I thought her name was Len and have been calling her this for years!  I found out that her name was Lyn in email correspondence with the course convenor of the Spirituality workshop. Andrea and Len never corrected me and got quite fond of the name that I had created.

Anyways, the workshop was brilliant. I wish that my family would have been able to go to it. I think they would have gotten a lot from it with Bobute passing away recently.

The second presenter was amazing, he was so compassionate and so great at his approach to palliative care.

One part of his talk was him reading a story from 'Bambi':

The leaves were falling from the great oak at the meadow's edge. They were falling from all the trees.

One branch of the oak reached high above the others and stretched far out over the meadow. Two leaves clung to it's very tip. "It isn't the way it used to be." said one leaf to the other. 

"No,"the other leaf answered. "So many of us have fallen off tonight we're almost the only ones left on the branch." 

"You never know who's going to go next, "said the first leaf. "Even when it was warm and the sun shone, a storm or a cloudburst would come sometimes, and many leaves were torn off, though they were still very young. You never know who's going to go next." 

"The sun hardly shines now," sighed the second leaf, "and when it does, it gives no warmth. We must have warmth again."

"Can it be true," said the first leaf, "can it really be true, that others come to take our places when we're gone and after them still others, and more and more?" 

"It really is true," whispered the second leaf. "We can't even begin to imagine it, it's beyond our powers."

"It makes me very sad," added the first leaf. They were very silent a while. Then the first leaf said quietly to itself, "Why must we fall?"

The second leaf asked, "What happens to us when we have fallen?"

"We sink down......." "What is under us?" The first leaf answered, "I don't know. Some say one thing, some another, but nobody knows."

The second leaf asked, "Do we feel anything, do we know anything about ourselves when we're down there?"

The first leaf answered, "Who knows? Not one of all those down there has ever come back to tell us about it."

They were silent again. Then the first leaf said tenderly to the other, "Don't worry so much about it. You're trembling." 

"That's nothing," the second leaf answered, I tremble at the least thing now. I don't feel so sure of my hold as I used to." 

"Let's not talk any more about such things," said the first leaf.

The other replied, "No, we'll let it be. But-what else shall we talk about?" 

It was silent, but went on after a little while, "Which of us will go first?" "There's still plenty of time to worry about that," the other leaf said reassuringly. 

"Lets remember how beautiful it was, how wonderful, when the sun came out and shone so warmly that we thought we'd burst with life. Do you remember? And the morning dew and the mild and splendid nights.........? 

"Now the nights are dreadful," the second leaf complained, "and there is no end to them." 

"We shouldn't complain," said the first leaf gently. "We've outlived many, many others." 

"Have I changed much?" asked the second leaf shyly. 

"Not in the least," the first leaf said. "You think so only because I've gotten to be so yellow and ugly. But it's different in your case." 

"You're fooling me," the second leaf said. 

"No, really," the first leaf answered eagerly, "believe me, you're as lovely as the day you were born. Here and there may be a little yellow spot. But it's hardly noticeable and makes you only more beautiful, believe me." 

"Thanks," whispered the second leaf, quite touched. I don't believe you, not altogether, but I thank you because you're so kind. You've always been so kind to me. I'm just beginning to understand how kind you are." 

"Hush," said the other leaf, and kept silent itself, for it was too troubled to talk any more.

We had to all write an  letter to the tree from the leaf. Then we handed the letters in and they were randomly handed out to all of us.

The second part of the Bambi story was read to us:

Then they were both silent. Hours passed. A moist wind blew, cold and hostile, through the treetops. "Ah, now," said the second leaf, "I...." 

Then it's voice broke off. It was torn from it's place and spun down. Winter had come. 

 Then we had to write a response back to the leaf from the tree. Finally the pairs of these letters were randomly handed out to us all to read and to talk about. It was such a powerful and invigorating exercise. I felt like I was writing a letter to God.

The Waipuna  Hospice is so beautiful,  like all of the hospice's that I have seen. At morning tea, I sat in the middle of the grass indulging in my surroundings.

We had many talks given to us in Mauri, we sang many spiritual chants in Mauri and learned about the spiritual needs of the mauri people from a woman of a Mauri father and English mother.

We finished the workshop by being asked to look in to the eyes of the person next to us and say 'I love you.' There were some tears here from different people in the room.

I feel so invigorated from going to this workshop.

And now I want learn Mauri! I continue to be so impressed with how much more harmoniously the Mauri's and the white's live here compared to Australia.

I love that the white people here know so many Mauri songs, words phrases and spiritual practices and that everything here has a English and a Mauri translation.

Oh I forgot to write that yesterday I helped Andrea put together a chicken coop! This girl is amazing, she has put a retaining wall up on her own, a chicken coop,  a fence, all self taught. 

We also watched the NZ movie 'Dark Horse', the true story of a Mauri man with schizophrenia who became amazing at chess during long stays in the psychiatric ward. All the while, he was brought up in a dangerous gang. He went on to train and bring a local group of struggling kids to the NZ chess championships each year. Amazing.

The houses here as I knew, are much more bang for your buck than in 'Aussie. '

We went out tonight for Andrea's birthday. Starting off at a posh restaurant then making our way in to town.

The night was wild! It was a girls night indeed. Got in trouble with the bouncers, loads of dancing and don't remember buying a single drink. Unsucessfully tried to be a 'wingwoman', to pick up a guy for a friend that turned out to have his wife next to him. And many other wild girls night stories. :p

The night was everything that it should have been. Poor Andy has been vomiting all morning. I feel surprisingly okay, but its 11am and I'm just getting out of bed. Time to cook some hash browns for everyone! 

Kia Ora xo

1st night in Tauranga, New Zealand 10/09/2015

I've woken up after my first night in Tauranga in New Zealand. (11/9/15) Tauranga is in the North Eastern Island of New Zealand.

My trip couldn't have come at a better time. I booked this in back in March this year (when I arrived back from Europe) as it was meant to be at the end of the contract for my first job. Since then, I started a new job but already had the flights book. Also, since then, my dear grandmother 'Bobute' who I am close with had been sick with bowel cancer since March this year, and her funeral was only last Friday. The whole family were very involved in her care.

So naturally I've been needing a bit of decompression time.

In the same week that I started my new job (about a month ago) I also moved on to the house that I bought a year ago. Lots of changes and different life events compacted in to a short time that life is sure to always bring.

On the way here, airport security seems to have increased a lot in Sydney. You basically need to get naked through customs to get in and the process takes forever! I was left with only 20 minutes before boarding. I had only just found out as I checked in my luggage before, that no meal was included in my fare. All orders for meals were cut off 24 hours before the flight. You can't buy food on the plane unless if you had a credit card. You could buy a voucher before the flight to use for food on the plan but only snacks could be bought. So in a panic that I would be starved the whole trip,I bought tons of crappy and overpriced airport food. How can one stuff up a bacon and egg roll?  Well yes, it appears you can.

Turns out my flight was only 2 hours long then I had to toss all of my remainding food at quarantine! Oh well, you live you learn.

I'm staying with my friend Andrea in Tauranga, which is within the Bay of Plenty; South East of Auckland (The North Island).  I last visited Andrea two years ago. Since then, she has an 18 month old called Mason. Andrea is a single mother and an inspiration.  She is so happy, optimistic and doting to her son and has been so hospitable to me. She has even bought her own house, it's so gorgeous and homely and of course so much more affordable and nicer than anything comparatively in Australia!

I met Andrea years ago when she was working as an agency Nurse in Canberra. I was really struggling as a New Graduate Nurse when I met her, and she really supported me. She believed in me and I will be forever grateful for that.

Before I left for this trip, people kept asking me what my plans were. Naturally,  if I have an opportunity to surf, I may do so. Andrea has agreed to partake in all of the awkward physio exercises that i have been allocated to do for my injured body (from running). But there is something very refreshing and liberating about just letting plans make themselves. And to be honest, I'm just happy to be here with Andrea, no matter what we do.