~Space~

The months after I got back into the states were kinda out of it. Pretty wierd at times and now it's like it was all a dream...alot happened, yet not much happened...kinda hard to explain. Good stuff, bad stuff, memorable stuff and some things I wish I could just forget in a way. Although I use those experiences to further my personal growth and experience, some shit is just...ugh. You know? Anyway, I eventually started back at the restaurant/bar that I was working at before I left. Someone I used to work with at Landry's Seafood in Kemah, Texas took over ownership and found thast I was living right around the corner and looking for something to keep me busy so he recruited me, so he summoned me so to speak...meanwhile and even before that the initial plan was to work on getting back to New Zealand on a more permenant Visa. I was going back to live. That was the plan. I was planning on being back within 3 months and let me tell you it was way more difficult of a process than I could have imagined, considering the options that my friend and I were considering. Time consuming, stress inducing and expensive. It would take an attorney. An immigration lawyer. I'll go back one day, but as of right now I'm not sure on what terms, basis or for how long. I finally just had to accept that with everything going on around me and the circumstances, etc...that what we had planned just wasn't meant to be. That's all. There's something else in store for me and I accept that and I embrace it. I do miss New Zealand and the people I met while I was there. Such a wonderful, beautiful place...I'll definately go back.

So anyway..I start back to work. Wait - let's back up. Before I started back to work I met someone. Let's leave it right there until next time. I may even go back further and into more detail about all the wierd shit I mentioned @ the beginning of this post.

Kia Kaha!

~Come Home~

I know I left off in my last update having gotten off of the ship (Pride Of America) in Honolulu and sooo much has happened since then...I don't even know where too start without boring anyone who reads this!  So, I'll try to keep it short or at least start to get caught up...So there I was, in Waikiki, not knowing if I was gonna stay or leave to go back to Houston right away and then my friend who I've known since I was about 15 or 16 and is a New Zealand citizen asks me...well why don't you just go ahead and come here...? Well for those who don't know, I've had a thing for this beautiful little country for a very, very long time and even before I got on the ship in Hawaii I almost moved to Hawaii while working on another ship just to be halfway TO New Zealand...anyway - I went. And I stayed...for 4 and a half months I stayed in New Zealand with my friend, her family and friends....it was going to originally only be a month, then it was one thing after another another and right away we knew that I should stay so  we began the process of searching out a proper visa...I really don't even want to write about it just because of the exaustion it caused...anyway...after alot of time, money, hope aand faith in Immigration Nez Zealand , I was denied the visa for which I had applied and by the time it was all said and done my flight had been pushed back 3 times over 4 months and we were just tired...it was time to go home for awhile, regroup and figure out what in the hell to do next...so I went home on July 28th, 2011. I got to New Zealand on March 16th, 2011 :) It was fun, surreal and a long time coming...and I'll go back...one day...when it's right...(and when I am in the right state of mind - I'll write aaaalll about my experience there this first time)

So, now I'm back in the states and I've just gotten off the plane and my friend Dan Weaver picks me up from Bush Intercontinental...