Geography

Aotearoa: New Zealand

‘A large land, uplifted high’

In 1642, Dutch explorer Abel Tasman arrived off the South Island’s west coast and saw ‘a large land, uplifted high’. His impression was accurate – New Zealand is mountainous, with a long narrow shape and rugged terrain.
Colliding plates

New Zealand lies on the boundary between the Pacific and Australian tectonic plates. In the north, the Pacific Plate is bulldozing its way under the eastern North Island. This is pushing up a central backbone of mountains and shelves of rock. Rivers have cut through these softer rocks, creating the steep, easily-eroded hill country of much of the North Island.

Molten rock welling up from the colliding plates has produced a zone of active volcanoes in the central North Island. The most obvious are the cone-shaped volcanoes that form Ruapehu, Ngāuruhoe and Whakaari (White Island). Large pumice eruptions have left behind depressions (calderas), now filled with lakes, notably Lake Taupō. Near Christchurch and Dunedin ancient volcanoes form hills, and the harbours around which the cities are based.

In the South Island, two sections of continent are colliding along this plate boundary – the Alpine Fault. East of the fault, land is being forced upward to produce the remarkably straight rampart of the central Southern Alps, which is visible from space. The uplifted bedrock has become the South Island’s mountainous terrain, with 20 peaks over 3,000 metres high.
Forces changing the landscape

The details of New Zealand’s landscapes have been etched by erosion and weathering from running water, ocean waves and glaciers, as well as by the catastrophic effects of landslides.
Rain

The central mountains force moist winds blowing from the Tasman Sea upward, to form clouds that rain heavily on the western side of the country. Parts of the South Island’s West Coast, deluged by up to 15 metres of rain each year, are some of the wettest places on earth.

Eastern regions get only 10–20% as much rain. Central Otago is the driest part of New Zealand, but is not a true desert, as all areas receive some rain every year.
Glaciers

In the higher Southern Alps much of the precipitation falls as snow, which turns into glacier ice covering over 1,000 square kilometres. Much of the South Island’s landscape was shaped by massive ice-age glaciers.
Life’s a beach

New Zealand has a remarkable amount of coastline – about 18,000 kilometres, the seventh longest of any country. Nowhere is more than 130 kilometres from the sea, so it usually doesn’t take long to get to the beach.
Rivers and coastline

Rivers have carved into the hills and mountains, sometimes forming deep gorges and flights of terraces. Many New Zealand rivers have shallow channels flowing over gravel beds, and move vast amounts of rock debris to the sea.

New Zealand’s dramatic coastline ranges from southern glacier-carved fiords to the sweeping sandy beaches of the far north.

http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/landscapes-overview/1

Transition Time

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I am readying myself for a transition. Transitioning from New Zealand to the U.S.A. I will plan to return by May 4th arriving to Portlandia to be picked up by my beautiful friend, Berg, the fashion designer to her home on Madison street in Portland, Oregon. I am steadying myself for a culture shock, mixed with jet lag, and eased by continuing a daily yoga practice or 'saddhana'.

Transitions can be a time to reflect upon the beautiful, challenging moments of the past 2 years in New Zealand as well as explore the emotions (anxiety, excitement, heartache) and thoughts a transition can bring up. (what am I going to do next? where will I live? where will I settle? find contentment/inner balance?)

The Land/Bush in New Zealand (http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/the-bush)never cease to amaze me. The land is magical.

The People are spiritual and teach me a lot.

The Music speaks for itself.

The work is nothing special but sufficient for the time.

Attitude is to enjoy life, and forget what happened yesterday, what's happening tomorrow, and focus on TODAY.

I will never forget the experiences I've had here and I hope to be able to continue to share my stories with you all .... as we travel through life together.

Aums,
Hannah

New Moon : 28th year of life: Saturn Returns

My life is blessed.

The night before my 28th birthday, I went walking in the Waitakere Mtn. Range, which borders Te Henga (Bethels Beach). I ended up perched wayyyy up on top of a Norfolk Pine which sits on top of a rock island extended out into the ocean. I climbed up the pine and sang a song for the Goddess. The view was a 360 degree view over the Tasman Sea and rugged coastline of the Westcoast of New Zealand. The sun beamed across the ocean and into my heart as I simply observed Nature. The sound of the ocean and the undulation of the waves mezmerized my mind. My soul was at ease as I climbed my way down to the black sandy beaches. I walked, listened, and felt the sand and salty air whirl my hair around my sun-kissed face.... The ocean swelled with energy, lifting and rising, which made me place each step I made around the rocks intentionally and with awareness ..... As I neared the surf-life saving tower, I noticed a man spinning fire, "poi" is what the Maoris call it. Again I was mezmerized by the backdrop of the waves rolling in, the sun setting, and a man focuse on spinning fire, and my friend sitting off in the distance meditating.

I followed the movement of the water and finally made it over to my friend. We sat and meditated using the sun as our symbol - which is the center of the Yantra of Manipura which is at your navel center.

Bliss....and the coming of the "New Moon"

Pictures of Travel

Once a backpacker, always a backpacker..... These are some pictures of me in Mexico, before heading to Prague to visit my mother (who lived there for 3 years) and now I am crossing my fingers that my backpack will hold together and no more straps will break ti I lay it to rest on the Mainland.

Last news of the year of 2010

December 2010
......
I finished working as a waitress at the Hotel de Brett's restaurant called "the Kitchen".

Celebrating with friends and whanau (family) at an island off of the Te Atatu Peninsula for Christmas Eve, was a hoot! We played rugby after Christmas dinner, swam, ate, and chatted with Ali's family.

We had a potluck and Community Christmas Carols at Bethels: Singing in the cave, drinking cheap wine and sharing food with friends at Ali's batch afterwards. :)

Christmas day: I got few bits and bobs from Ali and her mom: A Christmas stocking, a set of shell earings (handcrafted by Ali), a couple candles, and a big loving hug from Ali's mum. :)

I felt a warm, welcome from Alison's family and while I was lonesome for my own 'whanau' family I tried to just enjoy myself where I was and who I was with that day. I took deep breathes and wished you all a very Merry Christmas from the island of New Zealand. I fell into a deep sleep after Christmas brunch and envisioned all of you gathering together. I am homesick, but I believe that's normal for anyone away from home during the holidays. Whether you are living in the U.S. and are unable to make it back to family over Christmas or living in another country. We all know the experience from our own personal journey of leaving the family and growing up and coming into our own.

The journey of self-exploration continues to light my path.... I wrote a peice about my vision for the next year- 3 years below. It hopefully will generate some more understanding for WHY I am HERE and WHAT I am doing:

"I am still in New Zealand still contemplating life and purpose. I am trying to sort through some stuff/information/plans. The process of discernment is not easy, nonetheless I am grateful for the time and space to self-reflect. And it certainly does not seem natural to plan the next 5 years of my life. I usually just go with the flow, but as I am finding... as I get older, there is something to say about having a vision and pursuing it. Even if it takes a long time to get there. That being said, I am thinking about a couple things...

One, I am thinking about going back to school for nursing. I am at the moment studying to become a yoga teacher and I will see where that leads me. However, I also believe that with my Spanish degree and a nursing degree I will always be able to find a job ANYWHERE in the world! .... Right?

Whether I decide to pursue studying yoga or nursing or both, I'd like to go to school in a sunny place (possibly Arizona?) and be close to Spanish-speaking people (which I miss this!). I'll also be looking for an affordable situation: living costs, spending costs, ability to grow my own food, volunteer/ and grant opportunities, etc. I am also thinking long term, where'd I'd like to be. It may be New Zealand or it may be the states. But I'd like to have the option so I am checking into residency here. I am trying to stay optomistic and open about what will unfold in my future. I realize I do not have much control over what happens with the residency issue, or what may happen in the future, but I do have the ability to direct my energy and focus into good things. One of which will be returning to the U.S. to be with all of you. This may be in May or in November of this year 2011. I simply cannot be away from you all any longer!

Sending you love from Aoteroa "New Zealand",
xxxx
Hannah