afieldnotebook

So I'm in New Zealand. So I'm here. I keep forgetting and remembering that simple fact.
Last night I had a dream where I was home, and I was bemoaning the fact that I hadn't learned anything while I was here. But then I looked at the date and said "Kari, why did you expect to learn anything? It's February 29th. Classes didn't even start yet." (Nevermind that February 29th isn't happening this year.) 
What I'm trying to see is: I'm really here because I want to learn something, something for whatever reason I thought I couldn't learn at Wheaton. Every time I meet another international ("You're an international?" the New Zealand--Kiwi--students ask me, and that still surprises me. I'm an international?), I ask them why they're here, why they chose New Zealand. Their answers always surprise me: New Zealand is so pretty, so much to do outside, on and on. I've even hear the Lord of the Rings movies mentioned. I try not to judge too harshly (sometimes it's hard). 
I'm not much better, of course. Why'd I chose New Zealand? Because they speak English; because they're concerned about the environment. But a year ago I would've mixed up New Zealand and Papua New Guinea on the map. 
Now that I'm here I want to say: I chose New Zealand because I have a clothesline in my backyard, because you can pluck clams from the coastal muck and take them home without limit, because I think this place and its people have something to teach me. And I want to add, sincerely: I hope I don't take without giving back, I hope I can find a use for what I learn here in my life. 
Of course, the beach is nice (don't make fun, but I'm taking surfing lessons through the uni rec center next weekend...because why not?).