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Hello 2018: What’s Next For Me

2017 will always be the year I took the leap. 2018 will be the year I take back my life.

What does that mean? While I don’t have too many specifics, I will do my best to try and explain.

One specific I can give you is I will be leaving New Zealand as soon as possible. Whether that is when my visa is up in May or sooner is yet to be seen, but I do not plan to stay and settle here. There’s a lot of reasons behind this but they are not limited to cost of living, weather, and lifestyle. Kiwis are much more outdoorsy than I am, and while I do enjoy hiking, I would much rather spend my day lounging on a warm beach that I didn’t have to walk an hour through bush to get to.

This isn’t to say New Zealand is a bad place; this is a beautiful country with a lot of unique experiences to offer. I even had an opportunity to stay long term, but after a lot of thought, I have come to the conclusion its not for me. While I wouldn’t mind staying to the end of my visa as planned, the cost of living here is really catching up with me and making it hard to pay my bills. I am also missing the creativity and purpose of my former career, and staying would mean not only would I be giving up travel, but I would also be giving up my chances to do something creative full-time.

This leads to the next question: where am I headed next? The short answer is: I don’t know. The long answer? I want to find a “home base,” and a creative job in a place I can see my self-living long-term. I have focused a lot of my search for jobs in Florida, as that is where home is for me. However, I am also applying for positions in Australia, Singapore, and other places in the states and around the world. The outcomes of these applications will determine where I head next.

How does this have anything to do with me “taking back my life?” Well, I want a career again. I want to make and create meaningful content, whether that be at a tech company, a news organization or something else. I miss having a job that I am proud to go to every day. (Or at least a remote one that would let me travel.)

2017 will always be the year I decided to live abroad for the first time. Its been full of highs and lows and lots of life experiences I would’ve otherwise missed out on had I not done it. I have grown spiritually and emotionally, and I am so thankful for this year. Fortunately or unfortunately, my first stop on this adventure wasn’t meant to be the final stop. It’s scary and frightening to be back to “not knowing” where I will be in a few months again, but it’s also a little exciting.

However, if you still want more New Zealand content, don’t worry! I have quite a few new adventures to write up and share with you, as well as a potential 4 more months here, so you can look forward to that in 2018.

Happy New Year.

Sunset at North Piha Beach
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Celebrating Matariki: The Maori New Year

The beginning of July is just around the corner, a time that for many, marks the start of the second half of the Gregorian calendar year. (That’s the 12-month system we all know and love worldwide.) However, that’s not the case for the native Maori people here in New Zealand.

A shot of the Matariki fireworks from Te Papa

Just like we “ring in the New Year” during the winter months in the Northern Hemisphere, so is the tradition with the Maori. If you didn’t know about this, don’t worry, I didn’t either before I arrived in New Zealand. In fact, I may have completely missed Matariki altogether if it wasn’t for a calendar of events put together by Te Papa, the Museum of New Zealand. For the first time ever, the museum is marking this passage of time with a number of special events here in Wellington, including a traditional Matariki ritual, which I had the pleasure of taking part in earlier this month.

Just to give you some background: Matariki actually refers to the cluster of stars more commonly known as the Pleiades. Because Aotearoa (the Maori name for New Zealand) is located in the Southern Hemisphere, these stars rise on the cusp of winter, usually around late May or early June. For the Maori, the sight of this star cluster marks the start of the new year.

A look at the set-up for the Matariki Ritual, which also featured traditional Maori music

The museum’s traditional ritual did a really good job summarizing what this time of year is all about for the Maori. It centered around a giant fire pit and started with the host telling us the story of the Matariki. He also opened up the floor for people to speak and talk a bit about themselves, something I am told happens during a majority of Maori rituals. For me, it was especially interesting to hear from people all over the world. I was amazed at just how international the small city of Wellington really is; I think we heard from someone who originated from just about every continent. I also enjoyed hearing people speak in the native Maori tongue.

Next, we moved on to the actual Matariki ritual and taking the time to appreciate the past year.  For the Maori, Matariki is a time to say goodbye to the loved ones lost during the year. During the ritual at Te Papa, we symbolized this by lighting a candle and sending it adrift on a nearby pond. I personally didn’t know anyone who passed in the past year, so I actually said goodbye to my career in television news. This was a job that defined who I was for almost a decade. As I let go of my candle, I said farewell to that person and allowing myself to embrace this uncertainty in a new country.

Each candle represents a personal farewell to the last year

Matariki is not just a time to say goodbye though, it is also a time of celebration. Like Thanksgiving in the States, the celebration happens around the time crops are harvested, which means there is a lot of food to be had. This is why the ritual centered around the fire, as traditional Maori food is typically cooked in “hangi” ovens, or underground pits. And yes, it does take around three to four hours to cook. (But if you don’t have that much time you can buy it made for you here in New Zealand for around $10 NZD.)

The ritual’s “traditional” fire pit (It was gas fed)

In addition to the feast, Matariki is also a time to think about what you want to see happen in the coming year, and really look forward to all of the new possibilities ahead. For the museum’s ritual, we did this by writing down our wishes and dreams for the next year. At the end of the night, we then put those messages in baskets. I assume part of the ritual next year will involve reading some of these, but I guess I have to wait to find out! Either way here’s hoping some of mine come true.

My personal wishes for the next year

In all, I really enjoyed taking part in something uniquely New Zealand, as well as taking the time to pause and reflect on where I’ve been and where I’m headed. I’ve always been a fan of New Year celebration, so I find it quite amazing I managed to find a place that will allow me.to celebrate my favorite holiday twice a year.

The Matariki fireworks from Oriental Bay