I've been a little depressed lately about issues, both here and back home. Foremost, my uncle Jesse has been diagnosed recently with an aggressive form of lymphoma. He is not even in his mid thirties yet, and he's terrified. I called him via Skype the day I found out, and it was great to talk to him but what can you say about a situation like that.. He knows it sucks, he doesn't need me to tell him that. Sometimes things are too massive to wrap your mind around. I've been thinking about him every day, and calling home to catch up on the latest news.
My brother got himself into a quagmire recently, racking up $24,000 in debt through some internet miscommunication. For the past year he'd been buying car parts from a website and somehow they never charged him. A couple weeks ago he got a letter in the mail: the jig was up. Now he has to take a year or so off of college to pay the company back. It seems sketchy to me they can hold him accountable when it was their payment system that screwed up. Sure, he knew what he was doing but I hope some one lost their job over that one. Nathan is talking about getting a CDL and doing some truck driving to pay back the money fast. I hope it works out for him, I can't help but think I will come home to this:
Speaking of coming home, I've decided to return to the states after a semester instead of a year. New Zealand is burning a hole in my wallet, and I've failed to find a way to patch it. Disappointing, but I know I'll be back some day, half a year isn't enough time to see this place. I'll be returning home in early July, and probably helping my dad out for the remainder of the summer. I'm missing my family and a few close friends more than I ever thought I would. I've met some amazing people here, and will be making the best of the time I have left with them.
I'll be heading back up to Cedar Falls for what I thought was my last year in August. I'm giving some serious thought to changing my minor though, my electrical engineering are a chore to go to, and I usually resort to drawing in my notebook mid-lecture. I'm going to look into graphic design or maybe some art minor; I really have no desire to become an engineer. Even if it takes a little longer and more money to graduate I think this is the right move for me, I can't see pursuing a career that doesn't allow me to be creative. I thought a dull job would be alright as long as I was able to pursue my hobbies after five, but I want to be happy for more than eight hours of my life a day.
I just packed up for my trip to the south island. I'll be gone for two weeks, burning petrol with Melissa, Christy, and Jaime. I am really excited, everyone I've talked to has gushed about how beautiful everything is there. We don't have much of a plan, but I prefer it that way. I can't think of anything I want to do more than tramping the Abel Tasman track for five days, nature is really making its way into my heart in this place. The clouds in my head lighten and disappear when I leave the city, the solitude and fresh air lift my spirits. A beard has crept back onto my face in the past few days, I feel that any serious adventurer should sport one. Besides, it could be cold down there.
I bought a tramping backpack off of a Chinaman in Manukau City, a suburb way down in south Auckland. Here it is next to my school pack, now known as babypak.
Goodbye for now Auckland.
I'll be out of touch for two weeks, but I'll be able to check my email if you want to get a hold of me. Leave me some comments. Until next time..
