Music

If you know me youll know I love music and if you don't you've learnt something new about me :)
This made me smile...


"The Script taught me how to move on
Green Day taught me that government's gonna fail someday
Bruno Mars taught me to do anything for that one person I love
Eminem taught me that life is hard but you can make it through.
Taylor Swift taught me not every guy is going to treat me right
Rebecca Black taught me that Saturday is after Friday
Michael Jackson taught me to always love the people around me
Music teaches you stuff"

illness...

In the last post I had mentioned being ill.

In a combination of late nights, shouting and singing (as you do at camp) I came down with a bug thing, sore throat, headache, cough etc tonislitus style thing.

So i spent Sunday sleeping....

Its Wednesday now and its getting better and all i have is a cough and cold so its all good.

I'm thankful for those whose prayed for me and to God. Because it woulda been a bit rubbish if I'd landed in hospital within the first month...

Now i keep sneezing but that might just be cause its sunny here :P

Long time no speak...

Hey guys,

I'm really sorry that I havnt posted in a couple of weeks everythings been really crazy. When I say crazy I mean awesome crazy like Elisha and the bear....

Since last posting I have been away to SLC, been ill and made a whole load of friends :)

SLC= Student Leadership Conference

It is a week long camp for students that are part of TSCF groups in universitys across NZ and the world. The best way to describe is like an SU camp for students; so much fun. Made friends from acros the whole of Nz, from Dunedan right up to Auckland.

In my group the lectures we had were entitled "Bible overview" and we made our way through from Genesis to Revelation. In many ways it was similar to what Jonny did with us at Nytlyf last year (the 22 chapters of the bible) except we did all of it in 4 days!!

The food was great, the banter was great, spent loads of time worshipping God, learning about Him. In the evenings after the events a whole load of us would crowd into one room which wasnt much bigger than the small hall with the particians up and Play werewolves!

NYTLYF!!!!! you will love werewolves, its like a slightly more complicated version of mafia but its great because it means so many more people get to join in apart from just the doctor, detective and mafia! it is AWESOME :)

The week really challenged me in terms of my life and my faith and was an experience i look forward to repeating at the midyear conference a week before i leave in July...

Bonfire Night...

Now the plan was to walk the hill to watch the firworks down at the harbour :)

So Luke, Jamie and I walked up and stood on the hill and watch them...

Then behind us a group of people started letting of fireworks so we watched that...

After that a man from the house next to where we wearing standing walked across the road and started letting off fireworks for his kids so we could a personal display right infront of us for about 40 minutes :)

The three of us sat on that hill for over an hour watching three displays of fireworks in concession... Best bonfire night yet...

x

Grammatical errors...

I was recently informed that as a person who achieved an A at higher English my grammar and spelling in my last blog was awful so I'm sorry and now that I'm more awake and fully functioning again i will try harder :P

So since the last time I wrote a lot has happened.

I slept for approx. 16 hours after arriving which meant that Friday was more enjoyable.

On Friday I went shopping with Ailsa and bought all the random things one needs to live, such as a mobile phone sim card, new shoes etc...

The shopping centre in Lower Hutt is amazing, it's like the St James centre in Edinburgh + the Eastgate in Inveness. Execpt there is no shops that i recognise except MacDonalds and burger king hehe.

On Saturday being more fully awake I once again went shopping this time on my own and just wandered the centre, taking in all the wonderful shops... I hope over my time here I will get to spend a lot of time there as I have already picked out all my friends and family's Christmas presents. I also bought myself a beautiful watch because it was rather awkward not having one and trying to adjust to a new time.

Sunday was the most busy day but the most enjoyable. I went to all three services that the church had so that I could get a sense of what the church was like and I loved all three.

This is the best annalysis I can give of them is:

Service one- Mainly for the older generation with hymns and Psalms. The preaching was fantastic. There was a random gospel choir that sang like Sister Act, the minister commented also that this was what they reminded him of.

Service two- There is an adults service but the kids church runs alongside it. This is the one that I attended as I believe I will be spending the most time here. It was amazing, the best way I can describe it is that it is exactly like Holiday Club just with a little more personalisation such a birthday box and service prizes as people attend more often. I spent the morning observing, wandering around the groups, meeting leaders, chatting to the kids, trying to learn the dance moves to the kids songs. It was just lovely to be a part of and I cant wait to be a part of it.

Service three- Was similar to Impact cafe, it was held in the church cafe and had acoustic music and there was discussion instead of a sermon. This was a really nice service and felt the most normal and homely to me.

In amongst this we had a bbq for lunch at the house where the hockey team that Nigel coaches and their families came for lunch. This was soo mcuh fun as it was my first BBQ in NZ. Was really nice to meet more people and to spend time getting to know the Pollocks :)

So today is Monday morning and I'm not sure exactly what the day holds but i will let you all know soon...

x

Finally i'm here!

Inverness to Edinburgh to London to Singapore to Sydney to Wellington

3 continents

3 days (Although I missed out on Wednesday somehow)

And here I am at the Pollucks house in new Zealand. right on the other side of the world, as far away as you can possibly get from Inverness. The reaction I got from People on flights was that of either bravery or stupidity when they found I was travelling for a year on my own, but then if you think about it; I probably wouldnt get the same opportunity to meet people if you go with someone because you spend your time talking to them instead.

Anyway met some really lovely people, met a rather lovely australian, watched many films, had a couple of embarresing moments, shared a flight with an Australian football team (or soccer as they call it here which is weird btw cause that's really american.)

Lost a boarding pass, got a new one, chatting to a nice couple from england, ate minging plane food, slept a little bit, got very confused when time changed and then met a very nice austrlian lady who also went travelling as an 18 year old.

AANNNNNND aaw a guy with a bald head apart from the new zealand islands in tuffs of hair! picture that in your mind!

Anyway Ive been awake for about 30 hours or something so im going to go socialise, night or morning wherever you are in the world...

x