Farewell Aotearoa

I've been thinking about this post for quite some time and now that we're sitting in our tiny serviced apartment on our last day in New Zealand, I realize that there's no possible way that I could fit all of the details of this incredible experience into one recap. Luckily, most of you have been following along with our journey since the beginning so you've seen everything as we've lived it. If you want a recap of some of our adventures, you can check out this video I made (we showed it to our friends at our going away party last weekend)...

Here's the LINK if the video above doesn't work!

I will say that this has been a huge roller coster of emotions since the very beginning...and I do mean the very beginning. I believe I've written about it before, but on our first date, Drew mentioned that he always wanted to live abroad at some point and I immediately agreed, not knowing what exactly I was getting myself into.

Fast forward two years when he actually started going through the application process and all of a sudden New Zealand became a viable option. 8,700 miles away?!?! Are you joking?!?! We knew one couple (friends of Becky & Charlie's) who had been to New Zealand and that's it. No references. No advice. No recommendations. Nothing.

I, admittedly, do not do well with change and I cried all the time before we moved, but deep down I knew it would be an amazing adventure with my new husband. And I was right. Don't get me wrong, we've had our challenges and ups & downs along the way, but overall it's been one of the best things I've we've ever done.

We got to discover a new country in complete anonymity (at first), we made incredible friends from all over the world, we got to travel to places that most people only dream about, and have made so many memories that are already so fun to look back on. We had some high highs and some low lows; we got to share this country with friends and family from back home; we drank lots of delicious wine; we ate lots of ok food (sorry, NZ, you're not known for your stellar cuisine); and we really learned a lot about what it means to live in a foreign country. Even though I was hesitant at first to be so far from the home I've always known, I wouldn't trade this experience for anything and I sincerely hope that anyone who gets the chance to do something similar seizes the opportunity.

I honestly thought that this day...the last day in New Zealand...would never come and now that it's here, I definitely have mixed emotions. As excited as we are about moving into our new house and being closer to family and everything that the future holds, it's a hard pill to swallow knowing that we'll never live in New Zealand again and we'll never be around all of these wonderful people again. But we will hold them all close to our hearts and know that we will meet again somewhere in the future. And, should our paths not cross again in this lifetime, we wish them all continued success and happiness wherever their journeys take them.

Until we meet again, New Zealand...

E noho rā. Aroha.