Has it really been 4 months?

I was supposed to have flown out of Auckland for home YESTERDAY. WHAT?! that doesnt even make any sense in my head...that this trip was supposed to be over yesterday. I can honestly remember landing in the Auckland airport like it happened a week ago...I was greeted by my room mates Ed and Jason and we went off an explored the shit city of Auckland together..I remember crying in my empty dorm a little bit because it hit me like a sack of bricks that Holy shit, I am completely alone, with no friends or family around, on the other side of the world, for 4 months. But as soon as I manned up, the weeks flew by..wwoofing with the Mackintosh's, 2 weeks through taupo and rototrua and tongariro, becoming a surfer hippie in Raglan for a month, christmas, new years, 2 week road trip with Amy, messes and successes in Australia, back in NZ for stargazing and music..and then all of a sudden, I'm working on this freaking awesome boat and extending my stay for another 2 months. Good thing I didn't plan this trip out.

Mom, Dad, and Eric, I miss you guys a ton, and I'm sorry that I'm extending my stay here in New Zealand, and that you have to erase all of the red circles on your calendars marking my return to the homeland, but if you could see me now, how happy I am here, how much fun I am having on The Rock, the friends I've made, and the experiences I'm having...I know you would understand why. I wish so badly that you all could come here and visit, because I know you would absolutely love it and be really proud of me :). You have been the most supportive family I could ever ask for, and thank you for encouraging me to follow my dreams, and for giving me the skills and confidence to take advantage of opportunities like this one. You're all the best! And eric- take advantage of being able to eat meat every day for dinner still while I'm not home haha.

But-The Rock Life...it's nearly a month into my employment, and I still get excited to go to woek every day. This job is so rewarding , but also so incredibly challenging...every single day I am learning something new, whether it be about handling the boat, driving the dingy, how to manipulate people into cooperating with you, how to pull up a 190 kg anchor while hanging off the bow of the boat, climbing up on to the roof of the boat while it's moving to turn on the wind generator...and yet every cruise, I still somehow make some sort of critical error that warrents either: 1. me getting a "stern talking to" by my boss (aka being made feel like I am 5 inches tall because I could not see another boat 800 m away), 2. me getting thrown into the ocean with my clothes on (for saying "ya'all", or for me just simply being American), or something being broken (i.e. 10 glass bowls, a wine glass, dropping a serving dish off the side of the boat and into the sea....whoops). It's a running joke now that Kristi gets thrown into the ocean at least 3 times during every cruise- once at the end to entertain guests, abnd the other 2 are usually done by Ben and Adam pretenting I need to check something off the side of the boat, and because I still don't know what I'm doing half the time, fall for it EVERY TIME, and then i get shoved into the water much to the delight of the crew and guests. But I guess my work problems could be a lot worse than getting tossed into the south pacific :).

We've done some amazing snorkels recently....the best had to be a muscle rock when after collecting hindreds of green lipped muscles, ben and I swam alongside a massive long tailed stingray. My favorite part of snorkeling is when I take a dive knife down with me and crack open the Kina- the fish go crazy for the eggs and you can be surrounded by about 30 feeding fish, all close enough to touch. Some day, Adam is going to take us all spear fishing for some Snapper...yum. a few days ago, a few of us went out for a sunrise fish on our morning off..and as I was eating my hot crossed buns and tea while out on the water at 6:30 am...I looked around me and asked myself, "how is this my life?" The sun was rising over the islands, the 3 of us were cuddled together in our hoodies sipping tea and pulling up little snapper, and we were all just so, so happy. And even last night, When i went back to my new flat and was having a quiet night to myself, my 3 room mates, a peruvian, an argentinian, and an spaniard, made us a family dinner and we sat and drank wine and talked about their different cultures and learned how to dance like a south American mamasita.

Yeah...I'm not quite ready to go home yet.