LIFE DOWN UNDER OVER THE DITCH
When I randomly picked New Zealand I was far from imagining what I was setting myself up for. The most amazing experience in my entire life. Coming back was the most difficult thing I've ever done.
New Zealand is 22 hours of plane,usually around 30 counting time spent in random airports.
The first thing I found out is that there actually is not an adjective in the English language to say "New Zealandese". They call themselves "Kiwis". That's right. After the native NZ's bird.
The second was they drive on the wrong side of the road and the third was they have to weirdest accent you will ever hear.
NZ is a massive "melting pot",forget New York.
I lived in Auckland. Got pretty lucky there (most cities are Parma's size if not smaller). So awesome shops and breathtaking industrial background just 40 minutes of bus away.
My host family lived on the North Shore(Yes,Auckland is THAT big. North,South,West and East are connected by the highway). It was quite unique, I did not have any host sister or brother. Just Bill and Barbara and Pepper,their beautiful german pointer.
It was a bit like living with grandparents, just waaaaay stricter. Needless to say, my time was most spent outside my house.
We never got the the point of calling each other "Mum" or "Dad" and that's all you need to know about them. I missed my italian family so much! Lose what you have and you will appreciate it. At the very start the freedom was great and intoxicating,but after a while I started feeling pretty lonely. That was when I actually started showing interest in the locals and making friends. Sadly I have to say most internationals students (like me) never got to that point so I consider myself lucky. School was the way to meet new people.
I went to the Birkenhead College,(roughly about 1000 students)and I took English,MAS (Mathematics with Statistics),
Economics,PED (Physical Education),Photography and Music. We were
allowed just six subjects (5 hours a day with two breaks).School lasted until 15.15 and then I was free. No homeworks,nothing to do. I started making an habits out of taking a coffee in the city at Starbucks with my Italian-Brazilian-Spanish group of internationals. Yes,I can say swear words in more than five languages now :) I stopped (even if life was pretty cheap compared to Europe I was definitely spending too much) and I started hanging out at my Kiwis' friends houses.I went there just after school: we chatted,we watched movies,played Playstation (I got beaten pretty badly in Tekken -.-') we took random walks down to the beaches (not even 1km away),swam(the weather was sooo nice).
I loved my boyfriends..that was the only thing that caused me some problems with my hosts. Yes,my mates were mostly (if not all) males.
They got over it eventually and I kept enjoying my free time with them.
Dinner was at about 6.15 (Barbara liked to eat early) and I often went out after dinner (even during weekdays,my friends lived so close!!) to have a walk,hang around or just "chill".
Time spent with Kiwis opened my mind. That is not to say that it was not open before, I just learnt a different attitude (very "oh,whatever" ) and tried things (ex: toast,butter,Vegemite which is a special sour cream and chips all together) I never thought I would.
I fell from a tree and got stuck under it. I took a swim into the January sea (and therefore understood how people falling from the Titanic must have felt). I found myself in sticky situations. I had to call a cab because I had no idea of my whereabouts and no idea about how to get home.I had to treck through the mud. I saw poor people and their dignity. I ate so much junk food. I tried the most awesome carrot cake ever. I got called names because of being Italian (and secretly loved it). I got to go to a prom and feel all movie like. I just need to close my eyes to recall the smell of the grass and the sand beneath my feet. I recall the smell of pancakes and sugary syrup. Craving Nutella and eating a disgusting pineapple pizza. Get driven around by a 17 years old in an old car with 6 people inside of it. Watching the stars lying on the sidewalk just because they were so close and I had nothing better to do.
There are so many memories..I will not forget.
I met the most awesome people and they probably do not even come close to realise how much they have meant and mean to me.
I felt home and I felt like I belonged.
I am going back. And not just going back. I want to see more of the world. I want to find another place like this yet different. Everyone should do it, at least once.
Was I scared of feeling alone? Absolutely.
Not liking people/not being liked? Yes,sure.
Missing my parents and friends? Terribly.
Was I afraid to see my world crumble? Utterly afraid.
But I did it. And it rocked my world. I see things differently and I think I am a better person.
I recommend it? Yes. Just do it.