T-Minus Travel

I'll never forget my first Christmas away from home. I was staying in a little town on the South Island called Napier - the sunniest spot in all of New Zealand and the only town I've ever been to that is completely architecturally Art Deco. I did lots of exciting things on my 9 month working holiday in this small and vibrant country: a few days after I got off the plane I went canyoning in Auckland, which is this crazy adventure of jumping off cliffs and repelling down waterfalls. My second week I hiked up to the most Northern part of the island, and did some sand surfing while I was there. Hell I ended my travels by doing the world's third highest bungee in Queenstown. But my first Christmas away from home, spent in humble, pastel Napier, will always be one of my favourite memories. That's because it was the first time I realized that travelling could be more than just about finding yourself - it's really a time about finding others. At no other point in your life will you make more close friends or go on insane adventures. The hostel I stayed at for nearly 3 months was a recently purchased affair by a burgeoning family, and the owners Ruthie and Garrett made us feel like we were all a part of it. We helped with renovations and planning events - most of us even attended their son's third birthday party. It was truly a special place and it felt like home. But on Christmas morning, I just felt. Sad. My travel buddy and I exchanged gifts early - I received a pair of pink kiwi (the national bird and the cutest creation you'll ever see!) socks - and in the early morning I took off for a bit of a walk. I was embarrassed because for the first time in my life I began to feel homesick. I left Canada in a bit of a flurry, dying for some new experiences, and hadn't thought about home very much. So I took some time and wandered around some suburban neighbourhoods, truly feeling how far away I was from my family. I also wandered around the fountain in the centre of town, and recalled how on the night of our hostel's 'undies on the outside party' we filled it with soap and splashed around. I walked around the field on the beach that I played soccer with the boys every day after work. I went to the shops, the bars, the beach - and I realized that I had created a new home for myself for the time being. This led me back to the Christmas BBQ at the hostel where a water-gun fight was waiting for me. It looked like, and was, a promising new year.