The Bright Side of Not Belonging I'm a (piece of) work in progress. And that's good. Finished is, well, finished.

NEW ZEALAND | Thursday, 10 January 2013 | Views [360] | View Smaller Image

Ducklings in Chch, characteristic of Spring, growth, and buoyant endurance. This image is referencing the saying 'like water off a duck's back and how the bad things can roll away now and be let go'. Even though winter was cold spring still came and brought with it new life, new ideas, and new hope to continue rebuilding Chch. The rebuild will make Chch young and vibrant again, and for the meantime is providing a lot of jobs in the building industry. The shadow of a fern is present in this image, and I see this as being symbolic of something very kiwi about how Chch is enduring and overcoming its hardships. And how Chch wouldn't be getting back on track without the support of the whole country.

New Brighton Beach/Pier, Christchurch, during a snow storm of one of the coldest winters in Chch in decades. New Brighton is also one of the harder hit suburbs of Chch.
The timing of these two cold winters was difficult because of the earthquakes. Many people did not have warm homes to shelter them and many districts were still being 'zoned' for earthquake repairs or demolition.
During the winter there were many people stuck in limbo with uncertain futures. This pier appears as a bridge to nowhere, which is how many people would have felt about their lives at the time; not knowing if they had a future in Chch or not.
However, the bitter cold made many in the city appreciate the things they still had. The beauty of the small kindnesses and the community pulling together was important for Chch. This also birthed local superheroes Flat Man and Quake Kid who regularly perform volunteer and charity work for Chch.

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Sunset over the Ilam rugby fields in Chch.
I end the series as I began, with a sunset. Chch is known for it's striking sunsets and these are possible because of the extreme flatness of the Canterbury planes. Ironically this flatness which makes Chch beautiful and special is a big part of the cause of it's earthquake problems. Chch was built over swampland and two big fault lines. And luck had it that those fault lines were to shake. But Christchurch would not be the same without the flat planes which allow the farming industry to prosper and brin the strange and beautiful weather patterns that Chch gets to see.
The flatness of the city is a weakness and a gift at once. And with this, the message is that one's flaws and weaknesses are often what makes one special, unique, and stronger as a result.

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The Bright Side of Not Belonging I'm a (piece of) work in progress. And that's good. Finished is, well, finished.

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