Wellington Part 4 of 4: Well, Welly, It's Been Fun

Throughout my time in Wellington, when I was without a place to live, I had the help of a few wonderful people that were kind enough to let me crash with them.  Through a random contact, I was able to stay with a group of young adults atop of Mount Victoria in a beautiful flat with equally breathtaking views.  I also was able to crash with Earl, the man responsible for my being able to play volleyball here, and his flatmates as well.  Camille has also been incredibly generous in letting me sleep on the futon of her flat in Hataitai, overlooking Evan's Bay and with a sweet as view of the planes landing and taking off from Wellington Airport.  After completing my housekeeping duties, Ernesto and the two new housekeepers, Luciana and Marie, were gracious enough to let me crash in the apartment and aided me with sneaking past reception so they didn't know I was there.  I could never thank them enough for their kindness and hospitality, but will attempt to do so in this venue anyway.  THANK YOU!

My final days here were bitter sweet.  The night before I was set to leave for the South Island, I met with Camille for dinner at Pizza Pomodoro's (great pizza by the way, though it was still no New York pizza).  We remeniced, she gave me tips on how to cope with the overwhelming homesickness I had been feeling for the past week, and we said our goodbyes, for now at least since she will be moving back to the States in mid-April.  Afterward, I received a text from an American (Sarah) I met at the Fringe Bar.  After some delicious hot chocolate and orange vanilla almond cake (don't hate on orange, it's fabulous) from Midnight Espresso, she convinced me to stay one more night to hang out with her and her other American friends.  How could I pass up on one last day of Wellington?  Said day started with a morning hike up Mt. Victoria to watch the sun rise, then a visit to the Te Papa, and finally two cakes and a tub of Hokey Pokey shared while watching SNL youtube videos and The Carter, a documentary on the one and only Lil' Wayne.  I felt right back at home with these crazy Americans.

Overall, my experience here has been quite pleasant.  It was here in Wellington that I first felt like I lived here and wasn't just traveling, particularly when I opened my KiwiBank account.  I found a weekly 5K Fun Run to participate in, complete with a free beer at the end and the chance to win free prizes (though I didn't win).  I spent many sunny days with the locals in Frank Kitts Park laying out and reading The Da Vinci code.  Between volleyball and working at the bar, I found myself running into people and saying hello more often than not as I walked around the city.  However, there was one particular moment that made me feel like a true New Zealander, and it came while watching TV one night.  A commercial for Sky TV came on, using humorous examples to show why you should get multiple cable boxes in your home.  I laughed at said commerical, not realizing until afterward that the only reason it could be funny was if you knew who the actors were.  With no help from names or jerseys, I was able to correctly identify each individual "actor" as a member of the New Zealand Blackcaps Cricket team.

Although sometimes strange and occasionally stressful, Wellington has treated me well, as have its people.  I have learned a lot about myself while folding bed sheets and pouring beers.  Seriously though, I now know that not only am I capable of sustaining myself individually, I can do so in another country.  And for me, that is only one of the many things I have come to realize.  Another is how important my family, my friends, my girlfriend, and my life back at home are to me.  So with that, I begin the final stage of my journey; a quest to see what there is to see in the parts of New Zealand I have yet to see.  I hope to encounter lands filled with vast beauty and excitement before making my way back home to the people I love.